Join us for the May 2025 Berkshire Green Drinks event with Audrey Werner and Steven Miller, two Hoffmann Bird Club executive committee members!

Curious about local birds or looking to explore the rewarding hobby of birding? Join Hoffmann Bird Club executive committee members Audrey Werner and Steven Miller for a special presentation introducing you to one of the Berkshires’ most active and welcoming nature organizations.

They’ll share a brief history of the Club, highlight upcoming bird walks and events across the county, and spotlight the many ways the Club engages in community science to help protect birds and their habitats. Whether you’re a seasoned birder or just bird-curious, this is a great opportunity to learn how you can get involved—no binoculars or experience required!

Come discover what makes the Berkshires such a special place for birding, connect with fellow nature lovers, and find out how you can be part of a growing community that celebrates birds year-round.

DATE: Wednesday, May 21

TIME: 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM — In-person attendees can begin gathering around 5:15 PM if they wish. 

LOCATION: The Barn Kitchen & Bar at the Williams Inn, 103 Spring Street, Williamstown, MA & Online via Zoom

Click here to register for online participation. (Registration is required to receive the Zoom link.)

RSVP Here if you plan to join us for the in-person gathering (doing so helps the venue staff).

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
The Hoffmann Bird Club was established in 1940 with the mission of promoting the study of birds in Berkshire County.The club was founded under the auspices of the Berkshire Museum and named in honor of Ralph Hoffmann, a naturalist born in Berkshire County. Meetings are held from September through May and are open at no charge to anyone interested in birds and birding. Experienced birders lead field trips, and beginners are always welcome.

Audrey Werner joined the Hoffmann Bird Club in 1987, moving to this area from Panama and Vermont. Audrey is a past President of the Hoffmann Bird Club and currently the Communications Officer. Work experience includes developing immunologic tests at UVM to diagnose plant diseases, growing shiitake mushrooms commercially for decades, including organic certification, teaching at MCLA in the Biology and Environmental Science areas, and currently at Williams College preparing science labs in the Biology Department. While in Panama, Audrey worked with a botanist on a collecting trip where a new species was found. It is an understory palm, Geonoma hugonis. Other endeavors included working on the Green Iguana project and researching a tree species with a grant from the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute at Barro Colorado Island. The plants, insects, and animals were amazing, and after 1-2 years there, she was able to find some time to take up a new lifelong hobby, birding. Audrey was delighted that North American birds are just as intriguing and interesting as tropical species. Birding is easy to do wherever you live and wherever you travel.

Steven Miller joined Hoffmann Bird Club in 2023 after moving to the Berkshires from coastal Georgia. Steven currently serves as a Member at Large, managing the club website and social media, as well as coordinating social events and an archive project of Berkshire birding history. Steven has been seriously birding since 2021, though he has been interested in birds from a young age. He fondly remembers watching the bird feeders with his grandparents at their home near Grayling, MI, and flipping through Roger Tory Peterson books. His grandfather used to carve and paint wooden birds as a hobby, a few of which Steven still has. Steven is a personal finance educator who teaches college students about topics like budgeting, credit, and student loan repayment. When Steven isn’t thinking about birds, he’s also an avid baker, crafter, reader, and collector of too many things.

What is Berkshire Green Drinks? Berkshire Green Drinks is an informal gathering on the second Wednesday of the month that is free and open to everyone with any environmental interest. A guest speaker talks about an environmentally-related topic for approximately 30 minutes beginning at 6 PM; the presentation is followed by a discussion and Q&A. The drinks aren’t green but the conversations are. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to join and bring along questions!

What is Green Drinks? Green Drinks is an international forum where people who work in the environmental field and environmental enthusiasts meet for a drink and snacks at informal sessions. There will be a lively mix of people from non-profit organizations, academia, government, business, and the general public. Green Drinks is a great way of catching up with people you know and for making new contacts. These networking events are very simple and unstructured. Come along, and you’ll be made welcome.