Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

‘Think you know all about Hummingbirds? Don’t be so sure… Come hear a local expert fascinate us with these amazing creatures. The Margaret Watson Bird Club welcomes the public to an evening program on Thursday, April 6. Dr. John Spahr is the speaker. His talk is titled “Hummingbirds: Jewels of the Americas”.

There are well over 300 species of hummingbirds, all are limited to the Americas. In multiple trips to the American tropics Spahr has seen about half of these. Their amazing flight capabilities, fantastic plumage, and unique physiology have enthralled all. Our own “ruby-throat” is a common and welcome warm weather visitor in Virginia from its winter range in Central America. This annual journey requires an 18-20-hour non-stop flight across 500 miles of open seas across the Gulf of Mexico. Spahr will discuss interesting aspects of “hummers,” illustrated with colorful images and a few short videos. 

Spahr is a retired physician (pathologist) with a life-long interest in birds and conservation. For the last seven years he’s been doing field research on Eastern Screech-Owls in Highland County, where he is also helping Patti Reum monitor over 30 American kestrel nest boxes. In his quest to continually learn more about birds he has developed a number of informative programs. His presentations are “image intensive,” designed to inform and entertain. We will meet at the Farmville Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall, located at 200 West Third St. in Farmville. Light refreshments start at 6:30 p.m. and the program starts at 7 p.m.