LACONIA — The Bank of New Hampshire announces that Cydney Shapleigh-Johnson has been promoted to Senior Vice President - Broker/Dealer Program Manager.
Shapleigh-Johnson joined Bank of New Hampshire in December of 2007 as the Program Manager of the Broker Dealer area, BNH Financial Services. She has been responsible for developing and overseeing the Broker/Dealer program along with the qualified referral program throughout their entire office network. Shapleigh-Johnson has also recently developed the Fixed Annuity program, providing training and guidance to Bank Service Representatives who are now able to offer additional insurance products within their regions. Shapleigh-Johnson is also responsible for managing Investment & Trust Services client relationships and is a member of the group's Investment Policy Committee.
Shapleigh-Johnson is very active in her community, serving as Selectman in her town of Alton as well as Board member for the Park & Recreation Department and the Economic Development Sub-committee. Shapleigh-Johnson also serves on the Board of Trustees for Genesis Behavioral Health.
Shapleigh-Johnson is a graduate of Cannon Financial Institute and received her Certified Trust Financial Advisor designation in 2011. She is also a member of the NH Banker's Association Trust Committee.
For more information, call 1-800-832-0912 or visit www.BankNH.com.

Children and their parents had a great time creating memory boxes at a arts and crafts event held recently at Hall Memorial Library. The group meets every Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. Call 286-8971 for more information, or check the calendar at www.hallmemoriallibrary.org for a list of what's scheduled. (Courtesy photo)

CONCORD — Stock up those bird feeders and dig out your binoculars for New Hampshire Audubon's Backyard Winter Bird Survey. This annual statewide survey will take place on Saturday, February 9, and Sunday, February 10. Biologists need assistance from citizens all over the Granite State to get a clear picture of what's really happening with the state's winter birds.
Anyone can participate in the Backyard Winter Bird Survey by counting the birds in their own backyard on the survey weekend and reporting on-line or sending the results on a special reporting form to NH Audubon. To receive a copy of the reporting form and complete instructions on how to participate, send a self-addressed, stamped, long envelope to:
New Hampshire Audubon, Winter Bird Survey
84 Silk Farm Road,
Concord, NH 03301
Forms are also available at NH Audubon centers in Auburn, Concord and Manchester, and on-line. Find more information about the survey at www.nhaudubon.org under the Birding page.
Data from the Backyard Winter Bird Survey is used to track changes in the distribution and abundance of many species. Each year about 1,300 observers across the state count the birds coming to their feeders. "The strength of the survey is that we can look at trends over the long term," says Survey Coordinator, Rebecca Suomala. "We now have more than 25 years of data and we can see the patterns of ups and downs in different bird species."
Last year, there were record numbers of Red-bellied Woodpeckers and near record Carolina Wrens, both southern species that have expanded their ranges northward and are now common on the Survey. Eastern Bluebirds and American Robins were also tallied in record numbers. "The survey numbers show these two species increasing since 1997. They used to be harbingers of spring but are now increasingly found all winter, feeding on fruit" says Suomala. There were 74 species were recorded overall in 2012. "This year we are expecting high numbers of Common Redpolls, a northern finch that tends to invade New Hampshire every other winter," according to Dr. Pamela Hunt, Senior Biologist at NH Audubon. Hunt also suggests people watch for Pine Grosbeaks, another periodic winter visitor that feeds on fruit and has been reported in many areas of the state this fall and early winter
Reports of a lack of birds are just as valuable as reports of many birds. "If everyone reported only when they have a lot of birds, we wouldn't be able to see the declines," says Suomala. The most important thing is to participate each year regardless of how many or how few birds you have. This provides a consistent long-term set of data that shows both the ups and downs.
New Hampshire residents are encouraged to take part. Results from past years are on the NH Audubon web site. For more information about the Backyard Winter Bird Survey, call NH Audubon at 224-9909 or go to the web site at www.nhaudubon.org and click on Birding.
There are two bird surveys in February. NH Audubon's Backyard Winter Bird Survey that takes place in New Hampshire only, and the Great Backyard Bird Count, a nation-wide web-based survey on February 17-20, www.birdcount.org.