Essex County Ornithological Club Calendar
Fall 2023

Speaker Series/Club Events
ECOC Clubhouse Event: Birds and Brews
5:30-6:45 or dark (whichever comes first!) – Bunker Meadows, Mass Audubon’s Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary, Topsfield
Location: Meet at Mass Audubon’s IRWS parking lot, 87 Perkins Row, Topsfield, MA
* Please contact Jim McCoy ECOC-President@massbird.org to register for the Bunker Meadows walk.
Friday, November 10, 2023, 7:45pm (Revised program date)
Bicycling, Birding, and #BLM Across America in a Summer of Chaos
ECOC meeting 7:30-7:45pm
In-person | Morse Auditorium, PEM
Please pre-register here and bring your ticket with you
Or join on Zoom here
Free and open to the public
Through vivid photographs and videos, Dr. Scott V. Edwards, professor and curator of ornithology at Harvard University, brings us along on his 76-day, 3,800-mile bicycle trek across the United States in the summer of 2020, when the world was leveled by a pandemic and outraged by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and others. As he recollects riding through varied landscapes and communities with “Black Lives Matter” signs affixed to his bicycle, Edwards will reflect upon the people, landscapes and birds that he encountered, and convey the challenges, generosity and hope that inspired and surprised him throughout his journey. His two-wheeled story is a clarion call to people from all walks of life to enjoy the open road, make connections across divides and help break down stereotypes attached to people of color in the United States – all with binoculars in hand.

This lecture is made possible by a generous gift from The Echo Charitable Foundation. It is co-sponsored by the PEM.
About the Presenter
Dr. Scott V. Edwards’ interest in ornithology and natural history began when he was a child growing up in Riverdale, the Bronx, where he undertook his first job in environmental science at an environmental institute called Wave Hill. He received his undergraduate degree from Harvard in 1986. As an undergraduate, Edwards took a year off from his studies to learn what it is that biologists do. He spent six months volunteering at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC, then gained his first field experience assisting with research on the natural history and conservation of native birds in Hawaii and northern California.

He returned to Harvard to finish his degree, and enrolled in the PhD program in Zoology at the University of California, Berkeley. After 9 years teaching at the University of Washington, he returned to Harvard as a professor in 2003. His research on the evolution of birds has taken him around the world, and he has devoted his career to increasing the presence of BIPOC in the environmental sciences. He has won numerous awards both for his research and for his efforts to increase diversity in the biological sciences.
Become a member of the Essex County Ornithological Club or renew a current membership.
Directions to the Peabody Essex Museum
PEM Connect Building is at 135 Essex Street, next door to PEM’s main entrance (at the corner of Essex and Liberty St. in Salem, MA). Morse Auditorium is in PEM’s main building. Note: if severe weather is forecast, call 978-745-1876 to confirm event.
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Please be advised: ECOC calendars are only sent via email, unless a member requests otherwise. The calendar can always be viewed here on our web site. Hard copies will also be available at programs.
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Notes:
- Please support ECOC programs for 2023-24 by renewing your membership today! Membership/renewal form available here
- ECOC President: Jim McCoy | ECOC-President@massbird.org
- ECOC Vice President/Programs Coordinator: Janey Winchell ~ 978-542-1627 | jane_winchell@pem.org
- ECOC Treasurer: Mary Stevens | ECOC-Treasurer@massbird.org
Essex County Ornithological Club 100th Anniversary Sponsors

Become a member of the Essex County Ornithological Club or renew a current membership.
Membership application
or renewal form
Membership renewals can now
be made using Venmo
thanks to our Treasurer
Mary Stevens.
Send renewals to:
Mary-Stevens-268
Stay informed on upcoming ECOC events by joining the ECOC Mailing list. Fill out the form below and click on the subscribe button.
Please double-check your email address for accuracy. Thank you!
Digital copies courtesy of the
Peabody Essex Museum
Club decal featuring
Frank Benson’s art work.
Avail. for $1.00 ea.