Annual Meeting

Member Celebration & Annual Meeting

September 16, 2023, from 10am-4pm

(Registration Deadline: September 5)

Every year, NH Audubon holds its annual gathering to bring members 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 Massabesic Center in Auburn. This year we are also celebrating fifty years of the Endangered Species Act.

Schedule for the Day:

10am: Panel Discussion 

Curious about the Endangered Species Act and how it has helped wildlife in New Hampshire? Join Heidi Holman, Paul Nickerson, and Susi Von Oettingen as they discuss their experiences and roles in working with endangered species in the Granite State during a panel discussion moderated by NH Audubon Senior Avian Biologist Pam Hunt.  

11am: Morning Activity (choose during registration) 

The NH Audubon Volunteer Experience 

Join wildlife monitoring volunteer and photographer Joe Grande and our raptor biologist Chris Martin for a presentation on bald eagle conservation and the volunteer experience. Learn about the ‘unique’ experiences Joe has encountered while working in the field and see what’s involved in working to save our state’s raptors. 

Tech and Teach: Nature Apps 

Program Director Marc Nutter and Center Director Kimmie Whiteman will explore many of the technology applications available to help us identify and contribute to the scientific community through nature, including iNaturalist, eBird, Merlin, and EDDMapS. Join us and learn how to become a community scientist. 

Garden Photography – Tips and Tricks 

Join local photography expert Tracy Brunner in this introductory workshop on nature photography. We will be in the gardens exploring plants and wildlife, practicing techniques on planning for shots, the ethics of nature photography, and more. This is the perfect way to capture memories of your outdoor experiences. 

Massabesic Nature Exploration 

Join President Doug Bechtel and Educator Slater Roosa for a birding walk on Massabesic Lake trails. The walk will visit the sanctuary pond, Hayfield loop, and Manchester Water Works forest property. Binoculars will be available to borrow or bring your own. 

12pm: Picnic Lunch (provided) 

12:45pm: Business Meeting 

1:30pm: Annual Awards 

2:30pm: Keynote Address – What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds with Jennifer Ackerman 

3:30pm: Book signing with Jennifer Ackerman 

**The Nature Shop will be open all day from 9:30am-4pm and Jennifer’s book will be available for purchase**

Keynote

We are very pleased to announce that our keynote speaker will be author Jennifer Ackerman!

Award-winning author Jennifer Ackerman has been writing about science and nature for more than three decades. Her most recent book, What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World’s Most Enigmatic Birds, explores recent findings on the biology, behavior, and conservation of owls. Her previous book, The Bird Way: A New Look at How Birds Talk, Work, Play, Parent, and Think, was a finalist for the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award. Her New York Times bestselling book, The Genius of Birds, has been translated into 25 languages and was named one of the best nonfiction books of 2016 by The Wall Street Journal, a Best Science Book by National Public Radio’s “Science Friday”, and a Nature Book of the Year by the London Sunday Times. Her other books include Birds by the Shore: Observing the Natural Life of the Atlantic Coast (a 2019 reissue by Penguin Press of her first book, Notes from the Shore), Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream: A Day in the Life of Your Body, and Chance in the House of Fate: A Natural History of Heredity. Ackerman’s articles and essays have appeared in National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine, Scientific American, and many other publications. She is the recipient of numerous awards and fellowships, including a National Endowment for the Arts Literature Fellowship in Nonfiction, a Bunting Fellowship, and a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Jennifer gives highly popular multimedia talks and has presented at numerous literary and nature festivals and other venues around the world. 

Sponsors:

Thank you to our event sponsor Normaneau Associates

and our product sponsor Critical Mass Coffee .

Photo: Hawkwatching during an annual meeting field trip, by Dyanna Smith.