Hummingbirds: Feathered Gems

On Wednesday, October 10, the Town and Country Garden Club of Newtown will present a wonderful program on hummingbirds led by naturalist Gina Nichol, who just returned from leading a birding tour to the Canary Islands. Ms Nichol founded Sunrise Birding that offers authentic and affordable birding and wildlife adventures. Her birding tours are designed for beginning and experienced bird watchers and naturalists alike.

The program will begin at 7:30 pm and will be at the Senior Center, 14 Riverside Road in Sandy Hook. The public is welcome, free of charge.

Ms Nichol will be discussing the fact that there are over 300 species of hummingbirds in the world. These tiny aeronautical marvels have the ability to hover, fly backwards, and migrate long distances.  The physiological capacity of hummingbirds to raise or lower their heart and body temperature to survive cold nights is unmatched in the animal world.

This program will illustrate the amazing adaptations of these glittering gems and describe their fascinating life histories. Vivid photographs of hummingbirds in the United States, Costa Rica, and Ecuador will tell the story of how these birds survive in habitats that range from tropical forests to the forests of the Andes Mountains.  There will also be a discussion of how to attract hummingbirds to Connecticut gardens.

For additional information contact club president Emi Lydem at 426-5495.