Speaker's Bureau :

As our schedule allows, we present off-site nature programs and photography workshops. The following topics are among our most-requested specialties. Contact us via email for rates and scheduling information.

THE JOY OF BLUEBIRDS
(45 minutes; slides or digital projection)

Everything you ever wondered about bluebirds … courtship, raising young, favorite foods, migration … and more! Nature writer and photographer Connie Toops, author of the award-winning book, Bluebirds Forever, will share life history information on eastern, mountain, and western bluebirds using color photos and personal anecdotes. The talk also includes information on the selection, placement, and maintenance of nest boxes and on landscaping to attract bluebirds. Of interest to general audiences. Presentation will be followed by a question and answer session.

BLUEBIRD TRAILS ACROSS AMERICA
(1 hour; slides or digital projection)

While researching her award-winning book, Bluebirds Forever, nature writer and photographer Connie Toops visited a number of bluebird trails in Maryland, Ohio, Minnesota, Montana, and Oregon. These “trails” are networks of bluebird nest boxes monitored by dedicated individuals and groups who promote increasing populations of eastern, mountain, and western bluebirds and other cavity-nesting species. Using color photos and amusing personal anecdotes, Connie shares tips and techniques that have been successful for bluebirds and their hosts throughout the country. The talk includes information on the natural history of these captivating birds, on the selection, placement, and maintenance of nest boxes, and on landscaping to attract bluebirds to backyards or local parks. Well-suited for audiences of experienced birders or those wishing to become bluebird hosts.

HUMMINGBIRDS: JEWELS IN FLIGHT
(1 hour, digital projection)

Naturalist John James Audubon described the breathtaking appearance of a hummingbird as "a glittering fragment of the rainbow." Connie Toops, author and principal photographer of Hummingbirds: Jewels in Flight, will present a lively discussion about the territorial behavior, courtship, nesting, and migration of these fascinating birds. She will mention eight types of hummingbirds seen regularly in the United States, plus the Southwestern specialties, but will concentrate on the ruby-throated hummingbird, which is the common hummer in the eastern United States. Hummingbirds feed at and pollinate numerous species of flowers. Toops, who is the gardening editor for Birder’s World magazine, will provide suggestions for natural landscaping to attract these iridescent sprites. She will also include practical suggestions for selecting and maintaining feeders.

INTRODUCTION TO BUTTERFLY GARDENING
(45 minutes, slides or digital projection)

Butterflies delight us with their fragile beauty and brilliant colors, but few of us plant our gardens with their needs in mind. Connie Toops will introduce participants to the interesting life cycles of these captivating insects. Since caterpillars feed on specific host plants and adult butterflies often nectar on other species, Connie will share information on what to plant to attract these creatures to your yard. Many of the native plants that attract butterflies require less care than traditional cultivated landscapes, so growing a butterfly garden may be easier than you think!

ATTRACTING AND PHOTOGRAPHING WILDLIFE IN YOUR BACKYARD
(1 hour; slides or digital projection)

Nature writer and photographer Connie Toops specializes in designing backyard landscapes where she attracts and photographs wildlife. Toops, author of the award-winning book Bluebirds Forever, will share tips on planting wildlife food and nesting cover, installing water features, nest boxes, and feeders that will draw hummingbirds, songbirds, butterflies, frogs, and turtles to your garden. She will also suggest camera equipment necessary to take successful wildlife photos in your backyard.