ED Talks - A Fireside Educational Series

The Norman Bird Sanctuary’s education department is excited to announce a new series of fireside lectures covering topics related to watersheds. Participants will gather in Mabel’s Studio and learn about watershed habitats, the diversity of plant and wildlife found there, and how humans and climate change are impacting them. Each program will bring a new environmental scientist and educator to speak about these and related topics. Their talk will be followed by a Q&A session and refreshments such as wine and cheese will be provided.

When: 6:30-7:30pm

Tickets: $6 members, $8 non-members

Oct 30th: Fish Sensory Systems

Dr. Margot Schwalbe (Tufts University)

She will focus on the fascinating world of sensory adaptations in fishes both native to New England and beyond. In a watery world, fish need to be able to sense their surroundings much differently than the way we are used to doing so. We will explore electroreception, unique hearing abilities, the lateral line, and resulting behavior in these amazing fishes.

Direct registration link - http://bit.ly/1uGFRyV

Nov 6th: Four Summers of Marine Life at Third Beach Education Center

with Charles Avenengo (Salve Regina University)

After four summers of the Third Beach Education Center, the Norman Bird Sanctuary has been actively observing and identifying marine life at Third Beach. In our investigations, there have been a surprisingly large variety of species of marine fish collected for the Sanctuary’s seasonal aquarium. Included in these encounters have been a number of tropical fish that have worked their way north with the Gulf Stream into our waters. This lecture will focus on these interesting and often surprising observations.

Direct registration link - http://bit.ly/1qIjuUw

Dec 4th: Mercury in the Aquatic Environment and its Impacts on Waterbirds

with Dr. Charles Clarkson (Roger Williams University)

It is common knowledge that humans should limit their consumption of fish and in some cases, avoid it altogether due to the rising threat of mercury contamination. As generalist consumers that can switch our diets, this is not a difficult task, but what about the species of waterbirds that have specialized to feed on fish exclusively? Without having an alternative food source, the dangers of mercury contamination are amplified and the effects of mercury poisoning are now becoming clear in adult and nestling herons, egrets, ibis and cormorants. This lecture will inform you of the problem and how our understanding of the bioaccumulation of mercury in birds has led to a new field of study.

Direct registration link - http://bit.ly/1qIlJra

Dec 11th: Saltmarsh Habitat Avian Research Program (SHARP)

with Dr. Charles Clarkson (Roger Williams University)

The Saltmarsh Habitat & Avian Research Program (SHARP) is a comprehensive collaboration between universities, federal and state governments along the East coast of the United States. The primary goal of this program is to establish conservation priorities across the Northeast for tidal marsh birds. As part of the program, Rhode Island’s coastal marshes are monitored annually and avian species particularly susceptible to habitat loss from flooding and sea level rise are caught, banded and monitored throughout the breeding season. This lecture will discuss the history of the research program, the findings to date and the projections for how our marsh birds will fare with current climate change scenarios.

Direct registration link - http://bit.ly/1DivFiK