2021 GENERAL WORKSHOPS
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Northwest Ohio Birding Hotspots
Presented by Rob Ripma
Date: Thursday, May 6
Time: 9:30 AM EDT
Registration required
Biggest Week field trip coordinator (and owner of Sabrewing Nature Tours) Rob Ripma teaches about the best birding hotspots at the Biggest Week in American Birding. From Oak Openings west of Toledo to Pipe Creek in Sandusky and everywhere in between, Rob will show you the spots you should be sure to visit when you are birding in Northwest Ohio.
Date: Thursday, May 6
Time: 9:30 AM EDT
Registration required
Biggest Week field trip coordinator (and owner of Sabrewing Nature Tours) Rob Ripma teaches about the best birding hotspots at the Biggest Week in American Birding. From Oak Openings west of Toledo to Pipe Creek in Sandusky and everywhere in between, Rob will show you the spots you should be sure to visit when you are birding in Northwest Ohio.
Keep Your Head on a Swivel: Looking Back, then Birding It Forward
Presented by Carlos Ross
Date: Friday, May 7
Time: 9:30 AM EDT
Registration required
A POC-LGBTQ perspective on birding: sharing decades worth of retrospection on my experiences as a Latin-Asian-American queer birder, both in the US and beyond; sharing thoughts on how we can be more inclusive and move forward as a community through balancing truth-telling, ethics, kindness, and compassion.
Date: Friday, May 7
Time: 9:30 AM EDT
Registration required
A POC-LGBTQ perspective on birding: sharing decades worth of retrospection on my experiences as a Latin-Asian-American queer birder, both in the US and beyond; sharing thoughts on how we can be more inclusive and move forward as a community through balancing truth-telling, ethics, kindness, and compassion.
Principles and Pitfalls of Bird Identification
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Presented by Kenn Kaufman
Date: Friday, May 7 Time: 9:30 AM EDT Registration required What does it take to develop more skill at bird ID, and to be able to recognize more of the birds that we find? Well, for starters, it’s not simply a matter of learning field marks. Often we can memorize all the field marks for a species and still have trouble identifying it, while in other cases we may recognize a bird without seeing any traditional field marks at all. In this program, based on a section from his outstanding book, Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding, Kenn will talk about some basic principles that apply to all birds—principles that make it possible to name birds with more accuracy and confidence. He’ll also discuss some surprising pitfalls of ID, and how to avoid being tripped up by them. |
Lucy's Life List
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Presented by Christina Baal and Sally Deems-Mogyordy
Date: Friday, May 7 Time: 3:30 PM EDT Registration required Calling all young birders! We will talk about the magic that is spring migration, enjoy a good old-fashioned storybook read-aloud of the new book for young birders, "Lucy's Life List," and get started on our own life lists- with artistic style! Program will include a hands-on activity that will require minimal materials for participants- colored pencils/crayons, tape/gluestick, scissors, and the ability to print some printables that will be emailed prior to the start of the event. Recommended ages 5-10 |
Raptor ID: Great Lakes Migration
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Presented by Hannah Toutonghi
Date: Friday, May 7 Time: 3:30 PM EDT Registration required Through the lens of fall migration in the Great Lakes, we will dive into key characteristics of different raptor species in flight, and highlight the importance of raptor identification. Pick up some tips about raptor ID and where to look for them during this exciting visual presentation! |
Birding Apps: Enriching Your Birding
With Smartphone Technology
Presented by Gautam Apte
Date: Saturday, May 8
Time: 3:30 PM EDT
Registration required
Discussing how apps can improve birding experiences! From data recording apps like eBird, to various field guide apps, to weather apps that can be used to predict migration movements, we will discuss how to use some of these apps and their corresponding web versions to improve your skills, target specific species, observe more birds, and generally get more enjoyment out of your birding experiences.
Date: Saturday, May 8
Time: 3:30 PM EDT
Registration required
Discussing how apps can improve birding experiences! From data recording apps like eBird, to various field guide apps, to weather apps that can be used to predict migration movements, we will discuss how to use some of these apps and their corresponding web versions to improve your skills, target specific species, observe more birds, and generally get more enjoyment out of your birding experiences.
Birdability: Because Birding is for Everybody and Every Body!
Presented by Virginia Rose and Freya McGregor
Date: Sunday, May 9
Time: 9:30 AM EDT
Registration Required
Birding is an activity that can bring so much joy and empowerment to everybody, but not everybody is able to go birding easily. Birdability is a non-profit organization focused on removing barriers to access for birders with mobility challenges, blindness or low vision, intellectual or developmental disabilities (including autism), mental illness, being Deaf or Hard of Hearing and other health concerns; and bringing the joy of birding to people with disabilities and other health concerns who aren’t yet birders. Learn about why this should matter to you (even if you don't have an accessibility challenge), ways to be a more welcoming and inclusive birder, the Birdability Map (and how to submit a Birdability Site Review) and our resources for birders (and potential future birders) with accessibility challenges... because birding is for everybody and every body! Learn more and find resources at birdability.org
Date: Sunday, May 9
Time: 9:30 AM EDT
Registration Required
Birding is an activity that can bring so much joy and empowerment to everybody, but not everybody is able to go birding easily. Birdability is a non-profit organization focused on removing barriers to access for birders with mobility challenges, blindness or low vision, intellectual or developmental disabilities (including autism), mental illness, being Deaf or Hard of Hearing and other health concerns; and bringing the joy of birding to people with disabilities and other health concerns who aren’t yet birders. Learn about why this should matter to you (even if you don't have an accessibility challenge), ways to be a more welcoming and inclusive birder, the Birdability Map (and how to submit a Birdability Site Review) and our resources for birders (and potential future birders) with accessibility challenges... because birding is for everybody and every body! Learn more and find resources at birdability.org
The Beauty of Banding Data: It Gets Better with Age
Presented by Annie Lindsay
Date: Sunday, May 9
Time: 3:30 PM EDT
Registration required
Each spring and fall, billions of migratory songbirds make the journey between their breeding grounds and where they’ll spend the winter. Although birds have been migrating for many millennia, they are now facing increased threats from humans, including invasive species, habitat loss, and a steadily warming global climate. When an animal’s ability to forage or breed is disrupted (either positively or negatively), the consequences carry over into subsequent seasons and can affect an individual’s survival. These threats can have significant effects on a species’ population.
Annie's research is based on data collected at Black Swamp Bird Observatory which has been banding birds during migration in northwest Ohio since 1992 and Powdermill Nature Reserve which has run a year-round banding station in southwest Pennsylvania since 1961. These represent two of the most complete, meticulous, and precise datasets in North America, and their value for studying songbird populations is priceless. Annie will share her research, and review other work using these two datasets, about how songbird populations, behavior, and morphology are changing over time, and what has remained the same.
Date: Sunday, May 9
Time: 3:30 PM EDT
Registration required
Each spring and fall, billions of migratory songbirds make the journey between their breeding grounds and where they’ll spend the winter. Although birds have been migrating for many millennia, they are now facing increased threats from humans, including invasive species, habitat loss, and a steadily warming global climate. When an animal’s ability to forage or breed is disrupted (either positively or negatively), the consequences carry over into subsequent seasons and can affect an individual’s survival. These threats can have significant effects on a species’ population.
Annie's research is based on data collected at Black Swamp Bird Observatory which has been banding birds during migration in northwest Ohio since 1992 and Powdermill Nature Reserve which has run a year-round banding station in southwest Pennsylvania since 1961. These represent two of the most complete, meticulous, and precise datasets in North America, and their value for studying songbird populations is priceless. Annie will share her research, and review other work using these two datasets, about how songbird populations, behavior, and morphology are changing over time, and what has remained the same.
How to Crush Your Yard List
by Listening for Nocturnal Flight Calls
Presented by Bill Evans
Date: Monday, May 10
Time: 9:30 AM EDT
Registration Required
Bill will begin with an overview of avian night migration and the nocturnal flight call phenomenon. He will then review classic (some controversial) cases of birders using nocturnal flight calls to augment a big day total or annual yard or region list. Bill's presentation will include playing a variety of interesting nocturnal flight call audio examples from species that can be hard to find during the day, but relatively easy to detect by nocturnal flight call. During the presentation Bill will present tips for how to tune in to nocturnal flight calls of migrating birds with the unaided ear or microphone, as well as resources for learning the identity of the calls.
Date: Monday, May 10
Time: 9:30 AM EDT
Registration Required
Bill will begin with an overview of avian night migration and the nocturnal flight call phenomenon. He will then review classic (some controversial) cases of birders using nocturnal flight calls to augment a big day total or annual yard or region list. Bill's presentation will include playing a variety of interesting nocturnal flight call audio examples from species that can be hard to find during the day, but relatively easy to detect by nocturnal flight call. During the presentation Bill will present tips for how to tune in to nocturnal flight calls of migrating birds with the unaided ear or microphone, as well as resources for learning the identity of the calls.
Mental Health and the Restorative Power of Nature
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Presented by Jasmine Cupp
Date: Monday, May 10 Time: 11:30 AM EDT Registration required Getting fresh air, feeling the sun, and listening to birds seems to lift our spirits. It’s no accident that humans can feel refreshed by being immersed in nature. Join Black Swamp Bird Observatory’s Jasmine Cupp for a candid talk about mental health and the restorative power of nature. Learn about nature therapy and the science behind what it does to our minds and bodies. |
Nature: A Spectacle of Wonder and Wisdom
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Presented by Nicole Jackson
Date: Monday, May 10 Time: 3:30 PM EDT Registration required During this pandemic, nature has provided beauty, comfort and wisdom to people all over the country, especially to communities of color. Nicole will share her beginnings as a birder and the work she's doing to inspire the next generation of birders, environmental educators, and park advocates, to think outside of the box when it comes to building trust and relationships with communities. |
Neotropic Waves of Spring Migration
Presented by Asher Gorbet
Date: Monday, May 10
Time: 3:30 PM EDT
Registration required
Asher Gorbet, the Banding Projects Manager at Black Swamp Bird Observatory, has spent an enviable number of hours immersed in spring songbird migration along Ohio's north coast. In their presentation, Asher will delve into the history of this area of global importance for birds; discuss the science that helps us makes sense of bird migration; and explore the seemingly magical way that these feathered marvels move through our universe.
BSBO's research team pioneered the “wave theory” that has been transformed into birding strategy for those visiting Ohio’s north coast. The three “waves” of Neotropical migrants will be brought to life through vibrant imagery, and the timing of their passage through this area mapped out with surprising precision. If you have a nemesis, or just one species that is special to you, come find out the best way for you to track down “your” bird.
Date: Monday, May 10
Time: 3:30 PM EDT
Registration required
Asher Gorbet, the Banding Projects Manager at Black Swamp Bird Observatory, has spent an enviable number of hours immersed in spring songbird migration along Ohio's north coast. In their presentation, Asher will delve into the history of this area of global importance for birds; discuss the science that helps us makes sense of bird migration; and explore the seemingly magical way that these feathered marvels move through our universe.
BSBO's research team pioneered the “wave theory” that has been transformed into birding strategy for those visiting Ohio’s north coast. The three “waves” of Neotropical migrants will be brought to life through vibrant imagery, and the timing of their passage through this area mapped out with surprising precision. If you have a nemesis, or just one species that is special to you, come find out the best way for you to track down “your” bird.