Join retired Jamestown Community College Biology Professor Jan Bowman at Audubon Community Nature Center’s First Friday on May 1 to take a closer look at the plumage and behaviors of both tropical and local birds, like this Great Blue Heron.

Tropical birds have a reputation of being flashier and more interesting than the birds in our backyards. At least that was what Jan Bowman’s experience taught her in many trips to Costa Rica and Panama guiding students to study tropical flora and fauna.

Join Bowman at Audubon Community Nature Center’s First Friday, May 1 at 11 a.m. for “Prize-winning Plumage and Bird Behaviors.” Learn how through close observation and photography she discovered a new sense of curiosity and wonder when watching the birds and their behaviors in her local fields, forests, and waters of western New York.

In her presentation, Bowman will share some of her favorite birds — local, tropical, and seasonal migrants — and make the case for why the local birds are every bit as amazing as the tropical birds she came to love.

After nearly 35 years of teaching, Bowman recently retired from Jamestown Community College as a professor of biology and the environmental science program coordinator. A lifelong area resident, she earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with secondary education certification and a master’s degree in biology from SUNY Fredonia that included two scientific journal publications. Bowman’s master’s research focused on a survey of macrophytes and population changes in Chautauqua Lake. She currently serves as board chair for the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy and board member of both the Chautauqua-Conewango Consortium and the Chautauqua County Parks Commission.

As a biologist and a firm believer in experiential education, Bowman has taken countless students in the field over the years. A long-time passion for field work and photography has allowed her to share her experiences through her photos, a practice she wishes to continue more broadly in retirement. Living in Ashville, N.Y., with her husband, Dan, she loves gardening, fishing, and sharing her passion for the natural world with her community. A naturalist and photography enthusiast, Bowman continues to devote herself to conservation efforts and education.

You are welcome to bring a packed lunch and visit with Bowman and attendees after the program.

Fee is $8 or $6 for Nature Center members and children ages 9 to 15. Reservations are appreciated and can be made by calling (716) 569-2345 or online at AudubonCNC.org/May-First-Friday. Walk-ins are welcome.

Audubon Community Nature Center is located at 1600 Riverside Road, one-quarter mile east of Route 62 between Jamestown, N.Y., and Warren, Pa. You can visit the nearly 600-acre nature preserve, check in on the live birds of prey, and hike the six miles of trails dawn until dusk daily for free.

The three-story Nature Center building houses interactive displays, a collection of live animals, the 2025 Nature Photography Contest winners, and the Blue Heron Gift Shop. Visitors are welcome Mondays through Saturdays, 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and Sundays, 1-4:30 p.m. Nature Center members and SNAP/EBT and Arts Access cardholders have free building admission daily. Building admission is also free Sundays for non-Nature Center members.

To learn more about Audubon and its many programs, call (716) 569-2345, find Audubon Community Nature Center on Facebook or Instagram, or visit AudubonCNC.org. Check out AudubonCNC.org/about for a quick fly-by. Get the details for submitting or voting on entries in the 2026 Nature Photography Contest at AudubonCNC.org/Photo-Contest.