Florence McBride next guest on BirdCallsRadio

Florence “Flo” McBride will be the next guest on BirdCallsRadio, coming up this Sunday, May 27, from 1 to 2 p.m. on 1490AM WGCH or Listen Live.

Flo is a well known long time birder in Connecticut and is particularly adept at getting children involved in nature. She leads several bird walks for children at East Rocks in New Haven, and she has developed a science curriculum, “Take Flight!”, centered around birds for the elementary schools in her hometown of Hamden.

She is also a nature film maker and has made several videos of Connecticut wildlife, including birds, of course.

Listen as Flo describes her love of birds, nature and introducing that wonderful world to children. Perhaps she’ll also do her “blue jay rap.” Knowing Flo, she will be up for it.

Flo is well educated and holds a MA from Radcliffe and is a Woodrow Wilson Fellow;  Doctoral work in English (American Literature) at Harvard. Graduate credits through workshops at Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS). She also studied ornithology under Noble Proctor at Southern Connecticut University.

She is also an active member of the New Haven Bird Club and leads bird walks for that organization. Flo participates in several bird censuses and other citizen science projects.

Earlier this year, Flo was presented with the presigeous Mabel Osgood Wright Award from the Connecticut Ornithological Association. It is the latest in a long list of awards that have been bestowed upon her.

In her own words: “My mother loved birds and wildflowers, and I almost certainly learned awareness, appreciation, and nomenclature because of her, and because of tramping around the woods and fields of New Jersey with my father.”  When I was quite young, I was entranced by a flock of Cedar Waxwings eating berries on a bush right outside our  window – thought they were named for the silky-smooth appearance of their plumage.

“The bird badge was the only badge I got in my brief time as a Girl Scout.  I loved walking around the neighborhood gathering the sightings that would enable me to fulfill the requirement to “Identify, out of doors, fifteen birds.”

Tune in to hear more from this special birdwatcher.