NH Audubon hosts 2024 Annual Member Celebration

Sara Robertson Morris poses with a Carolina Wren while bird banding on Appledore Island.

Sara Robertson Morris poses with a Carolina Wren while bird banding on Appledore Island. Courtesy of Becky Suomala

Published: 09-10-2024 2:00 PM

Every year, NH Audubon holds its annual gathering to bring members and friends together for a day of outings, awards and to celebrate the year’s accomplishments. Join us for a day of exploration, education, and inspiration at NH Audubon’s McLane Center in Concord, culminating in a keynote address by Sara Robertson Morris, Executive Director at Shoals Marine Laboratory. Sara will share her experience and findings on bird migration and the birds of Appledore Island.

This year’s event takes place on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m.-3:30p.m. Morning activities highlight the newly completed All Persons Trail and the often-overlooked parts of nature in a Mosses and Mushrooms of McLane outing. Or choose to learn more about the seasonal cycles of plants and wildlife in New Hampshire during a workshop on keeping a phenology journal with Senior Biologist Diane De Luca. Activities also include a fall bird search through the trails to catch those migrating individuals (and those that stay all year).

Anyone enamored with the sight of migrating birds and butterflies won’t want to miss the Scientist Spotlight, where biologists Carol Foss and Diane De Luca present their challenges and accomplishments through the Motus program. Motus isn’t an acronym; it’s Latin for “movement”! Biologists attach small radio transmitters called nanotags to birds, bats, and even large insects like Monarch butterflies to study their migration patterns.

A picnic lunch will be provided, followed by the annual Business Meeting, Annual Awards, and Membership Milestones recognition.

The day ends with a Keynote Address by Sara Robertson Morris, Executive Director at Shoals Marine Laboratory. Sara has been the Director of the Appledore Migration Station on Appledore Island for the past three decades, responsible for all aspects of the station researching bird migration through Spring and Fall bird banding efforts. Her ties to the island run the gamut from lecturing and teaching courses about marine science, field ornithology and ecology to supporting SML’s necessary functions. She recently accepted a position as the new Executive Director at Shoals Marine Laboratory and has been the President-Elect of the American Ornithological Society since 2022. She also holds Professor Emeritus status at Canisius University and teaches at the Audubon Ecology Camp in Maine.

NH Audubon would like to thank event sponsor Normandeau Associates.

Visit https://www.nhaudubon.
org/annual-meeting/ for a complete schedule of events and to purchase tickets.

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