Comedy in the Pines
June 7, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
at Prairie Pines
Nature Center
Tickets Required
WACHISKA SPEAKER SERIES:
BIRDS OF NEBRASKA:
THROUGH OUR LENSE
with Dr. Gabriel Rivera and Jennifer Blankenship Rivera
Join us in person for the Rivera’s presentation:
Thursday, June 11, 7:00 PM, Unitarian Church, 6300 A St.
live stream:
Dr. Gabriel Rivera and Jennifer Blankenship Rivera invite you
to join them on a visual journey through the heart of Nebraska,
a place where the Central Flyway stitches the continent together
in motion each year. Millions of birds move through this corridor,
turning the skies above into living maps of migration.
From their home in Omaha, they sit at a remarkable crossroads—where eastern deciduous forests begin to soften into prairie grasslands, and where the wide-open Great Plains quietly point the way toward the Rocky Mountains. It is a landscape of transition, and in that in-between space lives an extraordinary richness of birdlife, constantly shifting with the seasons.
Their presentation shares the story of how they first stepped into the world of birding and how, over time, photography became their way of slowing it all down—of noticing more, and seeing differently. With backgrounds in biology and psychology, they’re drawn to the deeper questions of how birds live: their behaviors, personalities, and subtle ways they interact with the landscapes they depend on. A passing glance becomes a behavior to interpret, a silhouette becomes a story, and each image becomes an invitation to look a little longer.
Gabriel Rivera and Jennifer Blankenship Rivera live in Omaha, where Gabriel is a biology professor at Creighton University and Jennifer works as a counselor. They have shared their work and presentations with audiences at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, Creighton University, bird clubs across Nebraska, and a variety of community organizations, with additional talks scheduled throughout 2025–2026.
Join us in person for the Rivera’s presentation:
Thursday, June 11, 7:00 PM, Unitarian Church, 6300 A St.
live stream:
June 2026 : Calendar of Events
June 1 Education Committee 6:30 pm via zoom
June 7 Comedy in the Pines 6:00 p.m.
Prairie Pines Nature Center 112th & Adams
Ticketed Event
June 8 Conservation Committee 6:30 p.m. zoom
June 11 General Meeting: Birds of Nebraska:
Through Our Lenses
Unitarian Church 6300 A St. 7:00 pm
June 16 Board Meeting 7:00 p.m. Prairie Pines Nature Center
June 20 Tour the Wild Side: 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.
More info and Map in newsletter
On November 18, 2025, the Board approved the revised Constitution and Bylaws. Members will be asked to vote on the revisions during the February 2026 general meeting, following publication of the document in the January and February newsletters, which will have more details. Both the 2022 and 2025 versions may be viewed or downloaded.
NEW! Wachiska's Speaker Series is on YouTube
JOIN WACHISKA TODAY
Become a member of the Wachiska chapter of the National Audubon Society and support environmental conservation, education, and outreach in Southeast Nebraska.
Click HERE for details.
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READ OUR NEWSLETTER!
Join friends and neighbors to show your concern about our climate and our elected officials. Stop by the Wachiska office and pick up your Climate yard sign.
Signs that say “VOTE with CLIMATE in Mind” are available for $10 each. They are made of material that will hold up well to the elements and come with a metal holder to push into the ground.
In September 2021, the Wachiska Board adopted the National Audubon’s Statement on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion as the Chapter’s own goals:
The birds Audubon pledges to protect differ in color, size, behavior, geographical preference, and countless other ways. By honoring and celebrating the equally remarkable diversity of the human species, Audubon will bring new creativity, effectiveness and leadership to our work throughout the hemisphere.
Wachiska Audubon Society's vision is to share the experience and love for nature and help protect its diversity.
The photos on this website were taken by Wachiska members. Many thanks to Bruce Wendorff,
Linda Brown, Paul Johnsguard, Tim Knott, Stu Luttich, John Carlini and Elizabeth Nelson.