Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club upcoming events

50 Years of Nature through the lens of Warren Greene (20 Apr 2026)

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Please mark your calendars for this important event! Details will be provided to members from the Club in early spring.

50 Years of Nature through the lens of Warren Greene

Speaker: Photographer Warren Greene

Warren Greene has been passionately photographing nature for half a century. In this special program following the HMBC's Annual Meeting, Warren will share his favorite images of birds and more from the Adirondacks, greater upstate New York, and beyond.

Since he was a young child, Warren has always had a fascination with the natural world. He began catching butterflies and moths and then went on to observe reptiles and amphibians. Shortly after graduating from college and while temporarily still living at his parents' home, Warren noticed a bird nesting in a Lilac bush in their backyard. Coincidentally, one of his younger brothers had bought a camera to document his hikes. At that point Warren decided to purchase his own camera to document nature including birds such as those nesting in his backyard. From 1976-2013 Warren shot slide film with Nikon and eventually Leica equipment. Starting in 2013, he belatedly switched back to Nikon for their digital equipment, and until a year ago shot mostly with a Nikon D850 camera. Approximately a year ago he decided to switch to a Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera as the D850 was in need of replacement after years of hard use.

Warren Greene is a native of Gloversville, NY where he lives with his wife Jeanne. They have two grown sons and coincidentally each of their sons has two sons. Warren retired after approximately 42 years of government employment. He worked for the Fulton County Probation Dept. for nearly 34 years with his last 22 years as the Director until his retirement in 2010. Subsequently he was an elected County Legislator for four terms and was the Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for Fulton County during the COVID year of 2020. As of 2022 he decided to retire from his County Supervisor position.

Warren considers himself a much better shooter than a photo processor as he uses a fairly minimalist approach to his digital work. He currently uses Lightroom Classic and Topaz as his software of choice for both processing, editing, and cataloguing his images.

Warren's images have been published in various books, magazines and calendars since the mid 1980's as well as shown in several galleries and restaurants though the years. He enjoys giving presentations to various groups and clubs including HMBC and different chapters of the Audubon Society.

Seasons of Five Rivers: Birds and Nature Through the Year (4 May 2026)

Mon, 04 May 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Speakers: Scott Stoner and Denise Hackert-Stoner

Five Rivers Environmental Education Center in Delmar is our bird club’s home address, our monthly meeting site, and location for many of our field trips, including our longstanding Birds and Breakfast in May. More ebird checklists have been submitted from Five Rivers than from any other hotspot in the Capital Region. But how well to we really know it? What are some of its most common birds, and what are some of its rarities? What draws birders, photographers, naturalists and multiple generations to this 450-acre site at the edge of suburbia?

From field to forest, ponds and flowing waters, Five Rivers' variety of habitats support an unusually wide variety of life, representing a microcosm of the natural riches of the Capital Region. Birds, mammals, amphibians, insects, and more await discovery here! More than 225 species of birds occur, with over 60 known to nest. Winter Raptor Surveys of Five Rivers’ grasslands show interesting results, and active Eastern Bluebird monitoring documents successful nesting of New York’s state bird. Otters, beavers, and muskrats frequent the ponds and streams, as do beautiful dragonflies, damselflies, frogs and toads. Deer are a common presence in the fields, and bobcats are seen with increasing regularity in many habitats. Butterflies nectar at the extensive pollinator gardens and throughout the grounds. Join us for this up-close look at a year's worth of nature’s beauty and diversity at this beloved integral part of the Capital Region!

The nature photography of Scott Stoner and Denise Hackert-Stoner has been widely exhibited throughout the Capital Region. Their work has been featured in multiple magazines and books.

Denise and Scott are avid birders as well as photographers, each having served as officers, field trip leaders, and directors for the Hudson-Mohawk Bird Club.

Scott is retired after a 31-year career with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. Denise is an ordained priest in the Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests.

They are frequently found right here at Five Rivers, searching for birds, other wildlife, and anything in the natural world that piques their interest!

To see more of their work, please visit them at www.naturelogues.com, and enjoy their weekly free blog at naturelogues.substack.com.

Birding Botswana (1 Jun 2026)

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Speaker: Chris Edwardson

Last year from November 16-26 Chris and Cindy Edwardson, and friends from Minnesota, toured the Okavango Delta region of Botswana with Letaka Wildlife Safari’s. The trip covered a variety of habitats. In addition to amazing mammal sightings they observed 214 bird species. In this program, Chris will present an overview of the birds and mammals seen on an 11 night Botswana tent safari.

Chris has been retired since 2019 and has embarked with Cindy on numerous birding trips to Costa Rica, Ecuador, Columbia, Peru, and most recently Botswana and Namibia in Southern Africa. He is currently the HMBC Treasurer.

Leopard

White-crested Helmetshrike

What DNA Tells Us About the Evolutionary History of Birds (14 Sep 2026)

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Speaker: Dr. Jeremy J. Kirchman

Join Dr. Jeremy J. Kirchman, Curator of Birds and Mammals at the New York State Museum, for an evening of fascinating science and discussion. Dr. Kirchman reveals how modern DNA sequencing is transforming what we know about the evolution of birds—from their ancient origins to the surprising relationships hidden in their genomes. Through stories of discovery made by museum-based scientists, you’ll learn how DNA research has uncovered the remarkable evolutionary journey that shaped the birds we see today. Whether you’re a lifelong birder, an evolution enthusiast, or simply curious about the natural world, this is a warm, welcoming event where big ideas take flight.