Celebrating Birds in the Berkshires and Beyond
Updated: May 12
This series of programs has concluded! Thank you to everyone who attended programs, and to those who spoke here this Spring, including:
David McGowan, former director of Williamstown Rural Lands
Tom Ricardi, Birds of Prey Rehabilitation Center
Professor Dan Shustack, MCLA
Professor Heather Williams, Williams College
Zach Adams, author of Birding in New England
The Zilkha Center at Williams College and Stop the Thud program, with Mike Evans and Hannah Coon '27
All of the people and groups listed are doing incredible work for birds! Thank you also to the Flight Path program, an initiative of Spark of Science@ My Library and the Friends of the Milne Public Library for their support.
Also, if you still have a Felt Bird Portrait to add to the Community Art Project, please bring it in! They are hanging in the Community Room and adding beauty to the space, but there is still room for more, and you may have yours back after we take to installation down.
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This Spring, the Milne Public Library is participating in an initiative designed to assist libraries provide programming and information about local and migratory birds, and to encourage communities to take small actions that keep birds safe. Flight Path has provided funding and materials to help the public learn about the science of birds and bird migration. As a part of this initiative, we have planned, scheduled and created quite a few bird-related programs, activities and displays, and have added birding tools, games about birds and other bird-ish items to our Thingdom as well! Please have a look at our schedule below.
The Flight Path program is an initiative of Spark of Science@ My Library With the goal of sparking curiosity about science and creating a deeper understanding of how science can improve human health and the health of our planet, Spark of Science@ My Library will deliver high-quality, fun, and engaging resources through targeted outreach campaigns to public libraries.
Programs and Events at the library:
Tuesday, February 10th: Sustainabili-Reads Book Group: Nature's Best Hope by Douglas Tallamy (not officially a Flight Path program, but very relevant to birds)
Tuesday, February 17th: Stuffie Storytime and Craft: Owl Moon
Wednesday, February 18th: Decorate an Edible "House" for Birds!
Tuesday, February 24th: Talk: Birdsong of Sparrows, with Professor Heather Williams
Saturday, February 28th: Movie at the Milne: The Big Year
Wednesday, March 4th: Wild Hope: Building for Birds - Film Screening and Taking Action
Tuesday, March 17th: Talk: Berkshire Bird Observatory's First Four Years of Conservation Science
Saturday, March 21st: Community Art Drop-In: Make a Felt Bird Portrait
Thursday, March 26th: Talk: Bird Conservation in the Berkshires: The HBC's Avian Action Club
Saturday, March 28th: Wild Hope: Building for Birds - Film Screening and Taking Action
Wednesday, April 1st: Talk: Goodbye Lawn! Alternatives to the Traditional Grass Lawn
(not officially a Flight Path program, but very relevant to birds)
Thursday, April 9th: Talk: Stop the Thud: Window Collision Monitoring
Saturday, April 18th: Talk and Walk: Birding for Beginners, with Mass Audubon
Thursday, April 23rd: Author Talk: Zach Adams' Birding in New England
Saturday, May 2nd: Talk: Live Birds of Prey with Tom Ricardi
Saturday, May 9th: Guided Birdwatching Walk, with David McGowan
Other Bird and Birding Activities at the library:
Check out and play the popular game, Wingspan, from our Thingdom
Borrow binoculars (there are multiple pairs/sizes), or our birding backpack, from our Thingdom and get outside!
Take a look at our book displays with all kinds of books about birds - in March and April
Check out a brand new book about birds - we have guides, illustrated books and even fiction!
Watch the documentary about birding, Listers, for free on YouTube! (not rated, but recommended for mature audiences)
Watch birds at the feeders on the big windows from inside the library!
Enjoy a Flight Path 'passive program' (that you can do anytime) right here in the library!
Excellent bird resources and organizations:
Did you know that....
National Bird Feeding Month ... is February!
Support groups that support birds, and
check out their amazing websites:
Berkshires:
Massachusetts:
National:
National Audubon Society
Learn more about, and view, Audubon's original works:
Library of Congress Bibliomania: Audubon at Scale (Read or listen!)
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