CT River Lecture Series Descriptions 2026
Return to the Sky: The Reintroduction of the Bald Eagle
March 5, 5 p.m.
Old Lyme Town Hall
Tina Morris, Ph.D. Cornell University
As the bald eagle was facing extinction in the continental U.S., Tina Morris was beginning her graduate work at Cornell University. By luck and circumstance, she was selected to reintroduce the species into New York State in the hope that eagles could repopulate eastern North America. Young, female, with no experience, she faced the challenges of saving this iconic bird while striving for acceptance in the unfamiliar male-dominated world of raptor biology. Playing mother to seven eagles forced her to transcend the isolation and tedium of field research to rescue an endangered species while, in turn, rescuing herself.
Tina Morris completed her graduate work in ornithology and wildlife biology at Cornell in 1978, writing her thesis on the adaptations of hacking techniques to reintroduce bald eagles. Following her studies at Cornell, she worked for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Nature Conservancy for several years.
Blackfish (Tautog): From Reef to Table
March 19, 5 p.m.
Lyme Art Association
Mark Dixon, Ph.D. UConn
The tautog, Tautoga onitis, or blackfish is a common reef fish in Long Island Sound. Blackfish are a popular catch for recreational anglers, they fill several important ecological roles as hallmarks of a healthy coastal ecosystem, are an iconic image, and a favorite subject for scientific research. Their common and scientific names are derived from the Narragansett language. This presentation will explore multiple facets of blackfish life history with a focus on ecology and the local ecosystem.
Mark Dixon is recently retired from the NOAA Fisheries lab in Milford, CT. Mark spent time studying and thinking about tautog during graduate school at the University of Connecticut before embarking on a career studying shellfish aquaculture in Milford.
New England’s Great White Sharks and Growing Seal Population
April 2, 5 p.m.
Old Lyme Town Hall
Jon Dodd, Executive Director, Atlantic Shark Institute
The Great White Shark is an iconic species that is known throughout the world. With females needing to reach the age of 30 or more before they can reproduce, it’s a species that needs to be protected, consistently assessed, and researched. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, the White Shark is considered vulnerable with a worldwide population that is decreasing. This discussion will focus on the white shark research that the ASI has been conducting in Rhode Island and surrounding waters, as well as the growing population of seals that has caught the attention of the ASI team and research partners. We will also discuss the presence of sharks in our ecosystem, why they are important, the tagging methodology used in this research, and more.
Jon Dodd is the executive director of the Atlantic Shark Institute. He has also worked as a staff volunteer for the NMFS Apex Predator Investigation, holds an Advanced Open Water Dive Certification and is a Fellow of the prestigious Explorers Club, NY, NY.
Black Bears: Finding Food within the Forest and within your Freezer
October 22, 5 p.m.
First Congregational Church, Old Lyme
Tracy Rittenhouse, Ph.D, Associate Professor in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment at UConn
For much of human history people have displaced or eliminated wildlife populations. Today, game management prevents extinctions of wild game in the U.S. and many species (e.g., deer, bobcat, and black bears) are increasing in abundance. Yet, the list of species of greatest conservation need is long and many populations are declining within remaining natural areas. Black bears (Ursus americanus) have become an unmistakable presence in CT. The range of these adaptable omnivores continues to expand into neighborhoods built when bears were extirpated from the state, bringing them into close proximity with people. Black bears are your new neighbor, so attend this seminar to learn a bit more about them.
Dr. Tracy Rittenhouse is an Associate Professor in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, and Faculty Affiliate in Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of Connecticut. Her research program tests our understanding of wildlife populations within social-ecological systems.
Monarch Butterfly Biology, Ecology, and Conservation Needs
October 29, 5 p.m.
Lyme Art Association
Kelsey Fisher, Ph.D. University of Delaware
The monarch butterfly population in North America is in decline in association with the loss of breeding habitat, including milkweed and nectar resources, in the United States. Because of the challenging cost to support the ‘boots-on-the-ground’ effort required to reach this goal, it is imperative that new habitat establishment practices are designed to maximize monarch survival, longevity, and realized fecundity. Understandings of monarch behavior can help inform practical aspects of restoration, including where habitat and milkweed should be planted, what additional species should be included, and how restorations should be maintained.
Dr. Kelsey E. Fisher is an Assistant Agricultural Scientist II in the Entomology Department at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Kelsey served as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Iowa State University (ISU) under the guidance of Steven P. Bradbury from 2021-2022.
Where are the birds, and how do we protect them: results from the CT Bird Atlas
November 18, 5 p.m.
Old Lyme Town Hall
Chris Elphick, Ph.D., Associate Professor at UConn’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
The CT Bird Atlas is a project to map all species of birds that occur in the state of Connecticut. Connecticut conducted its first atlas from 1982-86, with the results published in 1994 as the Atlas of Breeding Birds of Connecticut by Louis Bevier. Field work for the second atlas took place between April 2018 and February 2022, and involved nearly a thousand volunteer birders, who submitted more than 600,000 bird observations. This talk will provide an overview of the results of the CT Bird Atlas, an overview of the Birds of Connecticut web site, and a discussion of the conservation implications of the project.
Chris Elphick is a professor of conservation biology in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut. His research centers around describing, understanding, and mitigating biodiversity loss. He is also one of the lead investigators for the Connecticut Bird Atlas.
