New lecture series all about local birds

Ah! The morning dawns and the sky brightens and the sounds of nature bring life to silence. The birds converse with their own distinguishable voices — singing, squawking, chirping, drumming — as they awaken the neighborhood. Do you ever wonder what birds are outside your windows? Do you notice other types of birds that live in habitats different from your area?

Dr. Walter Jahn will give you the answers and much more. Once a week, during this fall semester, he will present a new lecture in his series titled “Birds of Orange County.”

The series started August 26 and continues almost every Monday finishing on December 2. Two exceptions are Labor Day, which will have no lectures for that week, and Indigenous Peoples’ Day where the lecture will move to Tuesday, October 15.

The first two weeks of the series will offer an introduction to Orange County and its feathered residents and bird anatomy and evolutionary history. In the ensuing weeks, Dr. Jahn will focus his presentations on the bald eagle, raptors, waterfowl, aquatic birds, and song birds. In addition, he will give information on local birding in the fall and winter and spring and summer. He will also devote two lectures to birds in food chains and the environmental issues facing birds.

All lectures are free will span one hour and begin at 5:30 p.m. The whole series is being recorded for future viewing. The in-person location will take place in SUNY Orange’s Rowley Center for Science and Engineering (10 East Conkling Ave., Middletown), Room 128. Participants can also watch via Zoom at sunyorange.zoom.us/j/93429213629.

Walter Jahn received his Bachelor of Science degree from Penn State University. He holds a master’s from Widener University and teaches biology courses at SUNY Orange.

Free parking is available at parking lot #1 (GPS: 24 Grandview Ave) next to Orange Hall or the parking garage # 3 (5 East Conkling Ave) across from RCSE.

For more information, check the Cultural Affairs website at sunyorange.edu/culturalaffairs or email cultural@sunyorange.edu.