Meeting Webinar Archive
Friday, March 6, 7:45pm
Seeing Birds Through Artists’ Eyes
ECOC Meeting 7:30-7:45pm
Join Jennifer S. Tafe, Director of Mass Audubon’s Museum of American Bird Art (MABA) for an evening of art, birds, conservation and legacy. Mass Audubon has been inextricably linked with art since its founding in 1896, commissioning the best wildlife artists of the day to create works of art meant to educate and inspire.
This event is cohosted by PEM.
View a recording of the March 06, 2026 meeting below.
Friday, February 6, 7:45pm
Virtual program: How Birds Created the World
ECOC Meeting 7:30-7:45pm
Bestselling author Randi Minetor presents a lively virtual program based on her recent book The Complete Language of Birds. Discover some of the myriad ways that birds have influenced the culture and stories of people around the world, ranging from the Ancient Egyptians who believed that the Earth began as an egg laid by a giant goose, to the Ojibwa people, who mark a time when a bird braved the deep waters of a Great Flood to bring a bit of soil up from the bottom to restart the continent. Minetor will also share instances in which birds have served as enduring symbols, as well as agents of various superstitions over the ages.
This program is cohosted by PEM.
View a recording of the February 06, 2026 meeting below.
Friday, November 14th, 7:45pm
Birding Iceland: Land of Midnight Sun—Grimsey & Flatey Islands
ECOC meeting 7:30-7:45pm
Iceland abounds with natural splendor: waterfalls and glaciers, panoramic views and otherworldly landscapes. During the summer months, Iceland’s round-the-clock sunlight draws in a panoply of nesting birds: Atlantic puffins, razorbills, guillemots, phalaropes, godwits and more. Come along with wildlife photographer and Mass Audubon instructor Shawn Carey as he shares images and stories from his journey to Iceland, with a special focus on two Icelandic islands that attract thousands of nesting seabirds each summer. You’ll learn some helpful wildlife photography tips along the way.
This event is co-sponsored by the Peabody Essex Museum.
View a recording of the November 14, 2025 meeting below.
Friday, September 12th, 7:45pm
Protecting North America’s Bird Nursery
ECOC Meeting 7:30-7:45pm*
Over half of North America’s migratory birds nest in the boreal forest, including birds from the North Shore and across New England. Delve into the boreal forest as a vital biome for birds and other wildlife with Jeff Wells, Vice President for Boreal Conservation at the National Audubon Society. Few people know that some of the largest land conservation actions currently underway to protect birds and their habitats are taking place in the boreal forest. Learn about some of these innovative Indigenous-led projects, which Audubon’s Boreal Conservation Program is partnering with to help protect one of the only remaining vast intact forest regions in the world.
Cosponsored by PEM.
View a recording of the September 12, 2025 meeting below.
Friday, April 4, 7:45pm
Thoreau and the Birds of Concord
Artwork viewing 7:00-7:30pm and after the lecture
ECOC Meeting 7:30-7:45pm
Join us for a special event featuring author/editor Geoff Wisner and artist/naturalist Barry Van Dusen in conjunction with their recent book A Year of Birds: Writings on Birds from the Journal of Henry David Thoreau (2024). Learn about this first-ever collection of Thoreau’s writings on birds to be arranged by the day of the year, emphasizing the relationship of local birds with their environment and the spiritual significance of the seasons. Hear from both Wisner and Van Dusen about this collaboration that is both a work of art and natural history literature. The book features 150 watercolors and field sketches by Van Dusen as well as a foreword by celebrated naturalist Peter Alden.
This program is made possible by The Echo Charitable Foundation.
Cosponsored by PEM.
View a recording of the April 04, 2025 meeting below.
Friday, March 7th, 7:45pm
Return to the Sky: How One Woman Helped Restore the Bald Eagle
ECOC Meeting 7:30-7:45pm
A national symbol since 1782, and recently designated as our national bird, the bald eagle was on the verge of dying out in the mid-1900s. Ornithologist and author Tina Morris shares the remarkable story of her efforts in the 1970s as one of the first women to engage in a raptor reintroduction program in the hopes that eagles could repopulate eastern North America. Hear about the challenges she faced as a young woman researcher in a male-dominated field, with little direction and no experience, working to save this iconic bird from extinction. Raising seven eaglets forced her to transcend the isolation of field research to rescue an endangered species — while in turn rescuing herself.
A book signing of Morris’ memoir Return to the Sky: The Surprising Story of How One Woman and Seven Eaglets Helped Restore the Bald Eagle will follow the program.
Cosponsored by PEM.
View a recording of the March 07, 2025 meeting below.
Friday, February 7th, 7:45pm
Virtual Lecture: When Animals Take Control: Technology for Enrichment and Connection
Virtual ECOC Meeting 7:30-7:45pm
Can technology support the wellbeing of birds and other animals? In this virtual program, researcher Rébecca Kleinberger shares recent results from a variety of studies at the INTERACT Animal Lab at Northeastern University, including a novel system enabling pet birds to initiate video calls with other birds. Kleinberger will also present ongoing collaborations between the lab she directs and local partners, including New England Zoo and New England Aquarium, to assess and measure enrichment effectiveness.
Kleinberger will speak to how her lab’s research projects represent a shift in human-animal interaction research away from interspecies communication toward creating opportunities for meaningful interspecies connection.
This program is supported by The Echo Charitable Foundation.
Co-sponsored by PEM.
View a recording of the February 07, 2025 meeting below.
Friday, December 6th, 7:45pm
Ten Wild Photos, Ten Wild Stories
ECOC Meeting 7:30-7:45pm
Join noted wildlife photojournalist and teacher naturalist Mark Wilson in a unique slide program that explores some of Wilson’s best wildlife photos taken over 30 years in some surprising places. Wilson will present ten select images. Each image will be discussed in-depth as to how and why it was made. Supporting photos will help explain. Topics of discussion will include photo techniques, equipment, ethics and natural history, and staying comfortable and healthy in harsh environments. Aspiring beginner photographers and traveled veterans alike will find inspiration to assess and improve their own work. Non-photographers get to peek under the lens cap and see how a pro comes up with knock-out photos.
The program will wind up with a visit from 3 live owls. Owls are a favorite photo subject of Wilson’s. Marcia Wilson, co-found of Eyes on Owls will introduce the birds.
This program is made possible by a gift from Tim and Joanie Ingraham in memory of Trustee Emeritus Dorothy (Dotty) Addams Brown
View a recording of the December 06, 2024 meeting below.
Friday, November 1st, 7:45pm
Birds and Bird Flu in a Changing World
ECOC meeting 7:30-7:45pm
Join Nichola Hill, disease ecologist and birder at UMass Boston, to explore what recent research reveals about bird flu and other diseases emerging from animals. Hill will explore the origins and spread of bird flu, how it affects both wild and domestic animals and the implications for human health. She will also discuss the latest research on virus transmission, virus prevention strategies and what the future holds in managing this global issue.
Whether you’re a bird enthusiast curious about the impact of diseases on avian species or simply interested in learning more about viruses, this talk will provide valuable insights. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear from one of the leading voices in the field!
A brief meeting of the club will be held from 7:30-7:45pm.
This program is supported by The Echo Charitable Foundation and co-hosted by the Peabody Essex Museum.
View a recording of the November 01, 2024 meeting below.
View a recording of the March 08, 2024 meeting below.
This program is co-hosted by the Peabody Essex Museum and supported by the Lowell Institute.
View a recording of the February 09, 2024 meeting
including the ECOC meeting below.
Friday, December 1, 2023, 7:45pm
The Everglades: Before and After
ECOC meeting 7:30-7:45pm
The Florida Everglades are the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States. Join Tom Tyning, naturalist, birder and Berkshire Community College professor of environmental science, on an exploration of the remarkable mix of physical and biological features that make the Everglades a unique ecosystem on Earth. Major efforts are now underway to restore the natural flow and quality of water to Everglades National Park. Tyning will briefly describe the history and ecological importance of this enormous “river of grass” and highlight some of the Everglades’ 360 species of birds, as well as reptiles, insects and wildflowers.
This event is co-hosted by the Peabody Essex Museum and supported by the Lowell Institute.
View a recording of the December 01, 2023 meeting
including the ECOC meeting below.
Friday, November 10, 2023, 7:45pm
Bicycling, Birding, and #BLM Across America in a Summer of Chaos
ECOC meeting 7:30-7:45pm
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 was made possible by a generous gift from The Echo Charitable Foundation. It is co-sponsored by the PEM.
View a recording of the November 10, 2023 meeting
including the ECOC meeting below.
Friday, Feb. 3, 2023, 7:45pm
Taiwan: Gateway to Asian Birding
ECOC meeting 7:30-7:45pm
Join expert birder and bird photographer Jared Keyes for a virtual exploration of Taiwan and its wildlife. This mountainous island nation is home to more than 650 species of birds. Keyes will explain what makes Taiwan such a good starting point for birding in Asia as he shares highlights from traveling and birding in the country over the past 40 years. Co-sponsored by PEM.
About the Presenter:
Jared Keyes is a Massachusetts native and lifelong birder. He operates an educational bird gallery on Facebook and Instagram with over 200k followers, publishing content concurrently in Portuguese, Spanish and English with a goal of linking people throughout the Americas through their shared birds and shared love of birds. Jared is a board member of the Vermont Center for Ecostudies, sits on the advisory board of Mass Audubon and leads field trips for ECOC, primarily on Cape Ann.
View a recording of the February 03, 2023 meeting
including the ECOC meeting below.
Friday, Dec. 9, 2022 | 7:45 pm
The Nature of Oaks with Doug Tallamy
ECOC meeting 7:30-7:45pm
Scary headlines about the decline of the natural world that serves as our life support have spurred homeowners across the country to take action by planting natives that will help reverse this trend. No plant will achieve this faster than one of our 91 species of oaks. Oaks support more species of animals, sequester more carbon, protect watersheds, and nourish soil communities better than any other plant genus in North America. Dr. Doug Tallamy, author of The Nature of Oaks (2021), will discuss these roles by following the many fascinating things that are happening on the oaks in his yard each month of the year. His hope is to inspire people to plant and protect these vital, majestic, and life-giving trees. This event is made possible by a generous gift from The Echo Charitable Foundation. Co-sponsored by PEM
View a recording of the December 09, 2022 meeting
including the ECOC meeting below.
Friday, November 4 | 7:45 pm
Sound as Enrichment for Birds and Other Animals
Zoos can expose the disconnect between humans and other species by displaying the imbalance between visitors seeking entertainment and animals suffering from a lack of meaningful interactions. Dr. Rébecca Kleinberger will present her collaborations with zoos, wildlife experts, and preservation centers to benefit animals in managed care, using technology — specifically sound.
These interventions range from “Joy Branch,” an ergonomic interface that allows a Macaw to control his sonic environment, to an incubator that maintains vocal interaction between bird parents and eggs during artificial incubation, to an acoustic monitoring system for real-time classification of giant panda vocalization. Through these examples, this talk proposes insights and principles to help re-envision zoos of the future, with a focus on sound, for the benefit of the animals and their wellbeing. Co-sponsored by PEM.
View a recording of the November 04, 2022 meeting below.
Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 | 7:45 pm
The Once and Future Salt Marsh
Find out about The Once and Future Salt Marsh exhibit, an art and science collaboration exploring the beauty and fragility of the North Shore’s Great Marsh.
The artists behind this project, Susan Quateman and Leslie Bartlett, will share their artwork and stories of three species featured in the exhibit that call the marsh “home” — Saltmarsh sparrow, Rainbow smelt and Fiddler crab. The artists will be joined by project collaborator and salt marsh expert Dr. Robert Buchsbaum. Currently on view at 3 locales at the Parker River Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island, the exhibit highlights the effects of climate change on this vital regional ecosystem. Co-sponsored by PEM.
View a recording of the September 23, 2022 meeting below.
Cosponsored by the Peabody Essex Museum.
View a recording of the April 01, 2022 meeting below.
Fri., Feb. 4, 2022, 7:45pm
Cities that Love Birds: Planning for Bird-Friendly and Biophilic Cities
What if we design and plan cities with birds in mind? What would a bird-friendly city look like and feel like?
Timothy Beatley, a professor of Sustainable Communities at the School of Architecture at the Univ. of Virginia, will present the ideas and findings in his new book The Bird-Friendly City (Island Press, 2020).
Beatley, a longtime advocate for intertwining the built and natural environments, will take us on a global tour of cities that are reinventing the status quo with birds in mind. He will also place urban bird conservation efforts in the larger context of the global movement towards Biophilic Cities, cities that put nature at the center of their design and planning and that recognize the innate need for human connection with other species and the natural world. Cosponsored by PEM
View a recording of the February 04, 2022 meeting below.
Fri., Dec. 3, 2021, 7:45 pm
The Great Animal Orchestra
Dr. Bernie Krause – soundscape ecologist, musician, and author – presents an intimate perspective on the history and creative process behind The Great Animal Orchestra: Bernie Krause and United Visual Artists, an immersive exhibition on view at PEM (11.20.21 – 5.22.22) in collaboration with the Fondation Cartier. This installation features original recordings of natural soundscapes – marine and terrestrial – from rare and threatened habitats, emphasizing what they sounded like in a healthy state when they were originally recorded. Well over 50% of the soundscapes recorded by Krause since he began this odyssey in 1968 come from habitats now altogether silent or so compromised from human endeavor that they can no longer be heard in anything close to their original voice.
This program is made possible by a generous gift from Tim and Joanie Ingraham in memory of PEM Trustee and longtime club member Dorothy (“Dotty”) Addams Brown and also supported by the Lowell Institute.
View a recording of the December 03, 2021 meeting below.
Fri., Nov. 5, 7:45 pm
Tracking the Trickster: interaction among ravens, wolves and people in Yellowstone
Ravens are known to scavenge from wolves and people, but the degree to which they exploit these and other sources of food has not been studied in detail. In this virtual program, renowned corvid expert Dr. John Marzluff, professor of wildlife science at Univ. of Washington highlights the intriguing and highly intelligent nature of ravens, then shares findings from his latest research in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, where he is co-leading a study on ravens. Marzluff will describe the movements and activities of ravens in Yellowstone and relate these to wolf- and human-provisioned food. Co-sponsored by PEM.
This program is made possible by a generous gift from The Echo Charitable Foundation.
View a recording of the November 05, 2021 meeting below.
Friday, April 2, 7:45 pm
Free webinar: Insects for Birders
Plus ECOC meeting, 7:30-7:45 pm
Pick any scene from the drama of birds: the grace and force of flight, the audacity of courtship, even the fervor of foraging. Find it as well among insects – usually acted out just a few feet away. In this live virtual program, Vermont field biologist and writer Bryan Pfeiffer will use vivid images and practical tips to persuade you to start aiming your binoculars toward butterflies, dragonflies, fireflies, tiger beetles and other glittering insects, which E. O. Wilson calls “the little things that run the world.” Co-sponsored by PEM.
Also from Bryan Pfeiffer:
A Tribute to the Field Guide
Resources for Learning Nature from Books — Not App
View a recording of the April 02, 2021 meeting below.
Friday, March 5, 7:45 pm
Free webinar: Ospreys – The Revival of a Global Raptor
Plus ECOC meeting, 7:30-7:45 pm
The past 50 years have seen an extraordinary resurgence in Osprey numbers globally – from the Chesapeake to Scotland and from Finland to Massachusetts. Alan Poole, associate at Cornell Lab of Ornithology and author of a recent book on the species (Ospreys: the revival of a global raptor, 2019) will share this good-news story via a live virtual program. Enjoy dazzling looks at some of the places where Ospreys are found and hear about a few of the colorful characters who have helped make this species’ revival possible. Part travelogue, part biography, part scientific detective story: this talk will bring us up to date on one of our best-loved birds of prey. Co-sponsored by PEM.
View a recording of the March 05, 2021 meeting below.
Fri., Dec. 4, 7:45 pm
Birding Southeastern Arizona
Plus ECOC meeting, 7:30-7:45 pm
Free webinar; Register in advance for this webinar at:
Has Covid-19 dashed your travel plans? Join club member Jared Keyes, a lifelong birder and expert bird photographer for a virtual birding tour of Arizona’s remarkable Madrean Sky Islands archipelago. Keyes will introduce us to a number of the birds found in this biodiversity hotspot with captivating images and sound recordings. To whet your appetite, check out his gallery on Facebook or Instagram: @jskbirds. Cosponsored by PEM.
View a recording of the December 04, 2020 meeting below.
Friday, November 13, 7:45 pm
Owl Quest
Plus ECOC meeting, 7:30-7:45 pm
Come explore North America’s family of owls with Marcia and Mark Wilson of “Eyes on Owls.” A fast paced slide show will introduce you to all 19 species of owls that nest on the continent north of Mexico, from the tiny Elf Owl to the giant Great Gray Owl.
Next meet six species of owls up close, live streaming to you. A hooting (and tooting) lesson wraps up the owl fun – in a program that will appeal to the diehard lister and beginning birder alike. Post your owl questions during the program for the Wilsons to address during the Q&A. Copies of Mark Wilson’s award-winning book Owling: Enter the World of the Mysterious Birds of the Night (2019) will be available, signed and mailed directly from him to you. (Photo by Mark Wilson,)
This event is made possible by a generous donation from Joanie and Tim Ingraham made in memory of beloved ECOC member Dotty Brown. Cosponsored by PEM.
View a recording of the November 13, 2020 meeting below.
Friday, September 25, 2020 – 7:45 pm
Treasure Islands: Essex County Islands and Birds
Plus ECOC meeting, 7:30-7:45 pm
Join renowned naturalist, conservationist and author Chris Leahy in this live virtual program to discover how local offshore islands are havens for resident and migratory birds alike.
The Essex County Coastal Bird Islands Important Bird Area (IBA) comprises more than 50 islands, ranging in size from small rocky “skerries” to the well-wooded 83-acre Great Misery Island. These sites provide nesting and wintering habitat for a variety of interesting bird species, from the recently arrived American Oystercatcher to colonies that include rare wading birds and denizens of rocky shores such as Harlequin Duck and Purple Sandpiper. Leahy will describe results of recent multi-year surveys of these islands by Mass Audubon and Mass Fish & Wildlife, and speculate on the presence of as yet unconfirmed island nesters such as Manx Shearwater and Black Guillemot. Cosponsored by PEM.
View a recording of the September 25, 2020 meeting below.
Friday, May 29, 2020 – 7:45 pm
There’s an App for That?? Computer and Smartphone Birding
Plus ECOC meeting, 7:30-7:45 pm
Millions of applications (apps) are available for both Apple and Android smartphones, but which ones will really make a difference in your birding and naturalizing? And what about websites?
Mark Faherty, bird ecologist and Science Coordinator at Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, gives us the rundown on the latest and greatest apps for birding, ranging from digital field guides (iBird, Sibley, etc.) to eBird and Merlin and international apps.
After starting with an overview of eBird, Cornell’s bird sighting database, Faherty will then demonstrate apps you can use to find birds in your area, help you plan a trip to a foreign destination, and even a great one for expediting learning bird songs. He’ll also touch on the best traffic, weather, tide, and food-finding apps for getting yourself around and fed on your birding trips! Co-sponsored by PEM.
View a recording of the May 29, 2020 meeting below.