The Autumn Lecture Series is back at Hawk Mountain Sanctuary in Berks County, and it is made to entertain, intrigue, and educate any interested ear.

Every other Saturday evening starting September 21, a local wildlife expert from either on or outside of the Mountain will give a free, hour-long lecture in the Visitor Center Gallery about a topic that they are passionate about that affects the wildlife around us.

The schedule is as follows.  All programs start at 5:00 p.m.:

-- September 21: The Ghost of Schaumboch's: The Allegheny Woodrat.  Presented by: Reg Hoyt, an Assistant Professor and Co-chair of Delaware Valley University’s Department of Animal Biotechnology and Conservation. His talk will focus on the decline of the Allegheny Woodrat and efforts to preserve this Threatened and protected species.

-- September 28: Cat Wars. Peter Marra, Ph.D., Director of the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, will discuss the effects of free-ranging cats on biodiversity, especially birds. In his new book Cat Wars: The Devastating Consequences of a Cuddly Killer, Marra details specific evidence that cats, even pets, play in killing millions of birds each year.

-- October 5: Hawks on the Wing: Seeing Beyond Field Marks. Presented by: Josh Haas

Hawks in flight bring a sense of wonder and struggle to birders, especially when it comes to identifying them at a distance.  Field marks are not enough when back-lit conditions and birds miles out lack any color. Hawk watcher and videographer Josh Haas will discuss the innovative way to see beyond the field marks when identifying soaring raptors.

-- October 12: Rooks: Rendez-vous with a South Atlantic Raptor.  Presented by: Katie Harrington, former conservation trainee and current Hawk Mountain research associate Katie Harrington will discuss her recent and extensive work studying the charismatic and Near-Threatened striated caracara in the Falkland Islands.

-- October 26: Can Drones Help Our Bird Populations?  Presented by: David M. Bird. Small drones are rapidly advancing in sophistication and availability, and are now being used in the field of bird research and management. Join McGill University Emeritus professor Dr. David M. Bird as he explores these applications of drones for conservation in the world of birds.

-- November 2: Islanders: Ecology and Conservation of Raptors of the Caribbean Islands. Presented by: Julio Gallardo. Despite representing around only 7 percent of the Earth’s surface, islands are critical for global conservation, supporting 14 percent of the world’s biodiversity. Former Conservation Trainee Julio Gallardo will discuss his recent focus on Caribbean raptors and their current conservation challenges.

For more information on programs, initiatives and upcoming events, visit the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary website or call 610-756-6961.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from the Sanctuary, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, visit them on Flickr and visit their YouTube Channel.  Click Here to support Hawk Mountain.

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[Posted: September 9, 2019]

9/16/2019