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Meetings & Programs — 2025

Meetings, unless otherwise noted, are held, in-person, at the Litchfield Community Center, 421 Bantam Road (Rt. 202), Litchfield, CT. Additionally, for those that are not able to attend the monthly meeting at the Litchfield Community Center, the presentation will be available via Zoom. To register for the Zoom presentation, click on the link provided in the announcement write-up.

To be added to our mailing list to receive announcements to programs and events, please send your email contact information to: lhasct@me.com

Meetings:

Protecting Connecticut’s Coastal Habitats and Birds

January 6, 2025
Monday, 6:45 p.m.
Location: Litchfield Community Center, 421 Bantam Rd, Litchfield, CT

Corrie Folsom-O’Keefe, director of bird conservation for the state office of the National Audubon Society, will describe Audubon’s conservation efforts along the coast. Connecticut’s coastal habitats and the bird species that depend on them are facing numerous threats. For birds that nest on our beaches and offshore islands, human disturbance limits habitat use, reduces nesting success and the amount of time birds can spend forage or resting, impacting their health. Salt marshes have suffered losses of 27% since 1900 and continue to decline despite the passage of tidal wetland legislation in the 1970s. Today, sea level rise and the increased frequency and intensity of storms is threatening coastal habitats and the birds that rely on them. From the management and stewardship of our beach-nesting birds to the implementation of strategies that increase the resilience and slow the loss of current salt marsh and associated species, Audubon and partners are working to ensure that these birds and their habitats can be found in Connecticut for years to come. Corrie also leads the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, which assists the Connecticut DEEP’s Wildlife Division with the management of the Piping Plover and other beach-nesting birds. She also created the WildLife Guards program, which educates, mentors, and employs Bridgeport, West Haven, and Stratford high school students as coastal bird stewards.

 

Unable to attend in-person at the Litchfield Community Center? Click on the following link to register for the Zoom option. <TBA>

Owls in Connecticut

February 3, 2025
Monday, 6:45 p.m.
Location: Litchfield Community Center, 421 Bantam Rd., Litchfield, CT

Join Fran Zygmont as he provides a program about owls in our region including some personal, entertaining stories about searching for owls. He’ll cover the owls one would expect to see in Connecticut’s habitats along with some tips to optimize the chances of having one vocally respond, or if you’re lucky enough, actually get to see one. Fran will also cover the do’s and don’ts of looking for owls to both protect their existence while giving you a chance to enjoy them in the wild. Fran is an expert birder, a Connecticut Master Wildlife Conservationist, a former president of LHAS, and our current Vice President.

 

Unable to attend in-person at the Litchfield Community Center? Click on the following link to register for the Zoom option. <TBA>

American Kestrels

March 3, 2025
Monday, 6:45 p.m.
Location: Litchfield Community Center, 421 Bantam Rd., Litchfield, CT

Bethany Sheffer from Sharon Audubon has yet another superb presentation for us! American Kestrels are a species of fascination for birders and non-birders alike. Whether due to their small size, distinctive plumage, or their conservation successes in Connecticut, one can’t help but find them appealing. The work of a core group of people, beginning with Art Gingert, has achieved much on behalf of America’s smallest falcon. Join us in an exciting exploration of the American Kestrel, statewide conservation efforts, and the questions Audubon is asking about this species’ long-term survival. Bethany is Sharon Audubon’s volunteer coordinator/naturalist and works closely with its Wildlife Rehabilitation Clinic. She holds a master’s degree in public administration and is a certified environmental educator and beekeeper.

 

Unable to attend in-person at the Litchfield Community Center? Click on the following link to register for the Zoom option. <TBA>