MONTHLY MEETINGS
Monthly meetings are held on the second Monday of every month at 7:00 p.m. from September through May at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, 869 Rte. 6A, in Brewster, MA. The door opens at 6:30 to provide time to socialize and pick up information.
Meetings are held at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Brewster. In addition, for those who cannot make it to the meeting, or prefer to remain at home, a zoom link will be posted close to the meeting date. Not all meetings will be on zoom.
PROGRAMS FOR 2026 – 2027
Sep 14, 2026
“My Wild Life: Rare Birds, Close Calls, and Adventures of an Eco-Explorer”, with Peter Alden
From the jungles of New Guinea to the plains of Tanzania, one man’s lifelong quest to see the world’s rarest birds became a journey through the heart of our planet’s wild places. As a pioneer of ecotourism, he led travelers across continents long before GPS and guidebooks, facing snakes in the Amazon, lions in camp, and more than a few brushes with danger—all in pursuit of wonder. Part memoir, part travelogue, My Wild Life celebrates six decades of adventure, discovery, and devotion to the natural world.
Concord, Massachusetts native, Peter Alden, is a world renowned naturalist, lecturer, ecotourism guide and author of 15 books on North American and African wildlife, including the National Audubon Society’s Regional Field Guide Series. He was an integral part of the formation of the American Birding Association, and has been affiliated with the National Audubon Society. Considered to be an authority on birds and larger mammals of the world, Peter is often consulted by the media and the ecotourism industry for his expertise. Peter is also a highly entertaining and widely sought after lecturer on topics that include world wildlife, the Polar regions, and biodiversity of the Northeast, to name a few. Autographed copies of “My Wild Life” will be available for purchase at this meeting.
Oct 12, 2026
“Chasing the North America Big Year Record”, with David & Tammy McQuade
If you have ever wondered how someone could possibly see the most birds in North America in one year (while holding a job!), then we have a story for you.
David and Tammy are high school sweethearts who each developed a love for birds and the outdoors as children. In 2012, their life changed forever when they saw the movie: “The Big Year”. The idea of counting birds had an incredible appeal to them. The challenge of a year long scavenger hunt really resonated with them.
They started with a Big Weekend around Lee County, Florida. It didn’t take long for it to grow rapidly to County Big Years, then Florida Big Years. Once they realized they could coordinate their work with birding, that changed everything. They expanded to Lower 48 Big Years, ABA and US Big Years, and more recently North America and AOU Big years. They have been fortunate to finish #1 multiple times in each of these categories. They are also the only birders to see over 700 birds in the US 7 years in a row.
While they are proud of their accomplishments doing Big Years, they are most proud of their contributions to research in understanding bird diversity in the Gulf of Mexico. When they are not traveling or working, they love to venture out on long-range pelagic trips in the Gulf of Mexico on their boat, the McLagic.
David is a former Board of Directors member for the ABA, with Tammy having served on several committees for the ABA. They are the current administrators for the SW Florida Bird Alert Facebook Group, and are annual guides for the Cape Coral Burrowing Owl Festival.
Nov 9, 2026
TBA
Dec 14, 2026
CCBC Members Only Holiday Party… 7-9:00 (Doors open at 6:30)
Jan 11, 2027
TBA
Feb 8, 2027
TBA
Mar 8, 2027
TBA
Apr 12, 2027
TBA
May 10, 2027
TBA