-- Documentary Is Fourth In Series Of NHPTV’s Award-Winning Films About New England’s Migratory Birds --(DURHAM, October 2, 2013) — For people who love to observe birds, the annual Christmas bird count is a time to note their migratory habits and health. More than a century ago, ornithologist Frank Chapman redirected a Christmas-time tradition of revelers shooting birds to a new Yuletide recreation: counting birds. This fall, COUNTING ON BIRDS, New Hampshire Public Television’s new documentary about the National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count, will have screenings around the Granite State. Host Will Lange travels to Cuba, Ecuador, Keene and Errol, NH, and Maine to meet people dedicated to birds and this census. Keene was one of the first locations for the inaugural 1900 count; today, more than 60,000 people participate in the count. Discover how a love of birds has inspired people to research and document common and distinctive species. From chickadees in New England to Ecuador’s musical manakins, to the forests of Cuba, Will Lange visits the habitats and havens of these migratory bird species. The resulting census from these birders’ efforts support science and conservation, and may lead to a healthier bird population.The hour-long film will be screened in the Upper Valley, Durham, Keene, Concord and Littleton this fall, and a discussion with Audubon bird experts and Will Lange will follow. Sign up to attend a screening and watch a preview of COUNTING ON BIRDS at www.nhptv.org/birds or call (800) 639-8408.Thursday, October 10 at 7 p.m. – Wilder Center, Wilder, VT Panelists: Willem Lange; Bob Quinn, Audubon volunteerTuesday, October 15 at 7 p.m. – NHPTV Broadcast Center, Durham, NHPanelists: Willem Lange; Lauren Kras, President of Seacoast Chapter NH AudubonTuesday, October 29 at 7 p.m. – Historical Society of Cheshire County, Keene, NHPanelists: Willem Lange; Phil Brown, NH Audubon; Eric Masterson, author and Harris Center for Conservation EducationWednesday, November 6 at 7 p.m. – Red River Theatres, Concord, NHPanelists: Willem Lange; Pam Hunt, NH Audubon; Geoff LeBaron, Audubon Christmas Bird Count DirectorWednesday, November 13 at 7 p.m. – Littleton Opera House, Littleton, NHPanelists: Willem Lange; David Govatski, Christmas Bird Count volunteerCOUNTING ON BIRDS premieres on NHPTV PRIME November 21st. COUNTING ON BIRDS is the fourth in a series of award-winning specials (BIRD TALES, SAVING SONGBIRDS, JOURNEY OF THE BROAD-WINGED HAWK) produced by NHPTV that explore and celebrate New England’s migratory birds. Those documentaries received Telly, Boston/New England Emmy, and NH Association of Broadcasters awards, and have been distributed to PBS stations across the country. The documentaries are funded through grants from the Butler Foundation. nhptv.org/birds
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