Wednesday, January 29 – 8 am
Bird Walk – Nahanton Park
Led by Prof. Oliver Komar
Nahanton Park, Nahanton Street Entrance
(471 Nahanton St, Newton, MA)
Itching to get outside and can’t wait for the Newton Conservators Spring Walk Series? It has been a mild winter in Newton so why not get out and try some winter birding along with a Newton native birding expert, Oliver Komar, who is visiting in town this week. Nahanton Park offers a mix of woodlands, wetlands, edge habitat, and meadows along the Charles River, making it one of the best birding spots in Newton for resident species and possible very late or very early migrants.
Oliver Komar grew up in Newton and, along with his twin brother Nick, were early denizens of Newton’s open spaces and instrumental in Newton’s early Christmas Bird Counts. They both went on to successful birding related careers. Their mother Karen is a long term member of the Newton Conservators.
Oliver has a Ph.D. in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Kansas. His research emphasis is conservation biology, agroecology, and biodiversity monitoring in Central America. He came to Zamorano University (Tegucigalpa, Honduras) in 2011 as a full professor, and coordinates projects related with environmental issues. He has served as director of the Standley Herbarium, and the Regional Biodiversity and has also been Technical Director at SalvaNatura in El Salvador. He is an avid birder and contributor to eBird (Cornell Lab of Ornith.), reviewing data for Honduras, El Salvador & Nicaragua. he has written more than 200 technical reports about biodiversity, including 45 papers published in international scientific journals. He is the co-author of the Peterson Field Guide to Northern Central America. He would be happy to share information on his experiences with Central American birding!
Parking at Nahanton Park is readily available inside the park at the Nahanton Street entrance nearest the Charles River. Bring binoculars if you have them. Beginners as well as experienced birders are welcome. Walking shoes are recommended. This walk is sponsored by the Newton Conservators. For more information, contact Ted Kuklinski, president@newtonconservators.org, 617-763-3470.