MOULTONBOROUGH — The Lakes Region Chapter of the New Hampshire Audubon Society will host a program called "Canaries in the Coalmine: Bird Population Declines in New Hampshire," presented by Iain MacLeod and Ken Klapper, on Thursday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m., at the Loon Center.Â
A 2019 paper published in the journal Science highlighted a 29% net loss in bird populations in North America since 1970. MacLeod’s presentation will look at bird population trends in NH that show a similar decline. Many familiar songbirds are vanishing — towhees, brown thrashers, wood thrushes, white-throated sparrows; while others like ravens, wild turkeys and pileated woodpeckers are increasing. What is behind these population changes and are there ways to mitigate or reverse the trend?
MacLeod will present, and then will be joined by Klapper for a panel discussion about bird population trends, with a focus on the findings highlighted by the updated version of the "Birds of the Squam Lakes Region" by Robert S. Ridgely and Klapper. MacLeod was a technical advisor and designer of the book, published by Squam Lakes Natural Science Center. Copies of the book will be available for sale and for signature.
The Loon Center is located on Lee's Mill Road. Refreshments will be served.
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I have been feeding and interacting with birds and other wildlife since 2005.
Early on I saw tremendous diversity and population numbers - Grossbeaks, Orioles, Jays, Chickadees, RW Blackbirds, Bluebirds, Swallows and many more. A paradise you might say. I live in a rural area on the side of a mountain, semi remote, with not much development and large tracts of privately owned and undeveloped land.
This spring and summer, after experiencing unusual and destructive flooding for roughly six consecutive weeks, I returned to my property after a few days away (perhaps a month or so ago), to find that almost all of my birds had disappeared, including the stalwart resident Woodpeckers. Not coming to feeders where previously they would have been crowded. A few have returned since, and the only visitors to the feeders have been Goldfinch and Sparrows. Extremely worrisome, especially to have occurred so suddenly and mysteriously.
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