Roger Tory Peterson Estuary Center Programs & Events
Photographing Nature in Connecticut with Bob MacDonnell
Red fox by Bob MacDonnell
Bob MacDonnell has been photographing birds, wildlife, and natural history in Southeastern Connecticut and beyond for 25 years. In fact he took the banner photo on our home page of Great Island and its Osprey nests.
Join us for a two-part series as we explore and photograph natural areas throughout the southeastern part of the state.
Cost per session: $15 for members; $25 for non-members. Register online today.
Session 1: Birds and Wildlife
Saturday, October 21, 8 -11 a.m.
Explore birds and wildlife close to home as we visit the Great Island boat launch, Four Mile River and Rocky Neck State Park. Learn where, when, and what to look for as well as techniques to approach and photograph wary subjects and get sharp photos.
Discover how to get the most out of your camera with exposure, focusing and composition basics.
Devil’s Hopyard by Bob MacDonnell
Session 2: Landscape, Scenic and Macro
Saturday, October 28 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Understand how to use the natural landscapes as we visit Devils Hopyard, Nehantic State Forest, and Lord Creek Farm.
Learn how you can create exactly the image you want and how finding the right light can make any landscape a great picture. Explore exposure and lighting basics and how to use your camera’s controls and settings to get great results.
Connecticut’s Clean Energy Future with John Humphries
Wednesday, October 25, 2017, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Acton Library, Old Saybrook
Please join us for an interactive presentation by John Humphries, organizer for the CT Roundtable on Climate and Jobs (a collaboration of labor, environmental and religious groups) and a member of the Governor’s Council on Climate Change.
His presentation will include Connecticut’s long history of bi-partisan leadership on climate; how we can put people to work protecting the climate; and current opportunities for organizing and advocacy.
This is a free program but registration is required. Please register with Acton Library. This talk is paired with our Birding Basics and Climate Walk on Sunday, October 29.
This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Acton Public Library.
Birding Basics and Climate Walk
Join us for a Birding Basics and Climate Walk on Sunday, October 29th at 9:00am at the Preserve in Essex. Observe migrating birds and practice your identification skills. We will also talk about how climate change is affecting birds in our area and what you can do to help! This program is free to the public. Sign up online.
Fall Lecture Series 2017
Join us for our fall lectures this October and November. All of our lectures are free to the public, but we ask that you RSVP. This fall, we will be focusing on the natural phenomena of our magnificent estuary and Long Island Sound. Register online today.
October 19, 4 p.m.
Old Lyme Town Hall
Reopening Traditional Connecticut River Spawning Grounds
Sally Harold, director of river restoration and fish passage for the Nature Conservancy, will discuss the recent dam removal project of the Norton Paper Mill in Colchester.
She will also talk about the removal of Ed Bills Dam in Lyme, opening 10 miles of upstream habitat on the Eight Mile River.
October 26, 5 p.m.
Lyme Art Association
Tree Swallows: Local Murmuration and Global Migration
David Winkler, professor and faculty curator of birds at Cornell University, is a world expert on Tree Swallows. He has been studying them since the mid 1980’s and is currently focused on the effects of weather and climate on their food sources and reproduction.
Winkler’s lecture will provide a broad perspective on the global migration of Tree Swallows from northern Canada to Argentina and a concentration on the natural phenomenon known as “murmuration” seen locally on Goose Island.
November 2, 4 p.m.
Essex Meadows, Hamilton Hall
The Legacy of Long Island Sound
Patrick Lynch, scientific illustrator, photographer and author of A Field Guide to Long Island Sound, will discuss his new go-to-guide for anyone seeking basic information about the natural history of Long Island Sound.
Tom Andersen, director of communications for Connecticut Audubon and the author of This Fine Piece of Water: An Environmental History of Long Island Sound, will set the stage by telling the story of the first Dutch traders to explore the Sound and the Connecticut River and the incredible natural bounty they encountered.
