EAT, DRINK & LEARN

2023-2024 Speaker Series

Join us for an evening of delicious food and drink, great company, and an engaging presentation!

Thursday, January 25: Saw-whets & Sours

Hiding in Plain Sight: Northern Saw-whet Owls in Maryland

For most Marylanders familiar with birds, the Northern Saw-whet Owl is a cute and mysterious little bird that, if one is really lucky, can be found during the winter roosting amidst the thick foliage of a pine or cedar … or, occasionally, hitching a ride to New York City in a really big Christmas tree! The reality is that, though challenging to find, this diminutive owl from the north is a relatively common migrant and winter resident in the state and can even be found as a breeding bird in the mountains of Garrett County. Kevin Dodge, Director of the Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology program at Garrett College, has been privileged to study, along with his students, the migrating and breeding biology of the northern saw-whet owl. He’ll share some of his experiences with us.

Kevin Dodge earned his B.S. in Biology from Southwest Missouri State University and his M.S. in Biology from Michigan Technological University. He pursued further studies in Wildlife Biology at West Virginia University. Kevin has worked since 1987 at Garrett College, in far western Maryland, where he is Professor of Wildlife and Biology and Director of the Natural Resources and Wildlife Technology program. Kevin teaches various courses in natural history and ecology, including Wildlife Biology, Dendrology, Herbaceous Plant Identification, Plant Taxonomy, Herpetology, Ornithology, Regional Songbird Identification, and General Ecology. Kevin’s courses emphasize field experience, and many classes include field trips to other parts of the mid-Atlantic/Central Appalachian region. 

Time: 6:30-9:00 PM

Location: Irvine Nature Center

Price: $55 Members (Pacesetter Level or above) / $65 Non-Members