Squam Lakes Natural Science Center publishes new book

HOLDERNESS — Squam Lakes Natural Science Center has just added a major new addition to the state’s ornithological information and literature with the recent publication of the "Birds of the Squam Lakes Region."

In 1977, local ornithologist Beverly Ridgely wrote "Birds of the Squam Lakes Region," a detailed account of the bird species that he and his son Bob (eminent ornithologist Dr. Robert Ridgely) had documented in the Squam area. The book was universally well-received. It went out of print in 1985 and Bev then decided to write a revised and expanded edition, which was published in 1988. It too is long out of print.

Bev died in 2017 just shy of his 97th birthday. Son Bob has gone on to world renown for his bird conservation work in the tropics and has remained active in the birding scene in the Lakes Region.

In early 2019, Bob convened a meeting with Executive Director of the Science Center Iain MacLeod (a noted ornithologist in his own right) and another Squam area birder Ken Klapper. From that meeting a plan was made to create and publish a completely revised and expanded version of the book.

Over the last three years, the trio have chipped away at this huge project and in June the book was published. The new "Birds of the Squam Lakes Region" is 400-pages packed with detailed information on the natural history and status of the more than 280 species of birds recorded in the area and illustrated with more than 200 color photos by some of the finest wildlife photographers in the region. It also includes a “Birds and Hiking” section highlighting the best locations to see birds in the region.

The book is available at the Howling Coyote Gifts shop at the Science Center, local book stores, and can also be ordered online at www.nhnature.org/books. 

All proceeds from the sale of the book support the Science Center.