2023 GENERAL WORKSHOPS
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The Magnificent Behavior of Shorebirds
Presented by Brian Zwiebel
Date: Friday, May 5
Time: 1-2 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
Join Brian Zwiebel for an exploration into the magnificent behavior of shorebirds. From migration to the breeding grounds and beyond Brian will share his passion for shorebird behavior through his award-winning photography and personal experiences. You will learn of the mind-bending migrations of the Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit and Brian will recount his observations of breeding behaviors from the high arctic, some of which can’t be found in the scientific literature. Be forewarned, you may never look at a wintering shorebird on a beach or mudflat the same way again!
Date: Friday, May 5
Time: 1-2 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
Join Brian Zwiebel for an exploration into the magnificent behavior of shorebirds. From migration to the breeding grounds and beyond Brian will share his passion for shorebird behavior through his award-winning photography and personal experiences. You will learn of the mind-bending migrations of the Whimbrel and Bar-tailed Godwit and Brian will recount his observations of breeding behaviors from the high arctic, some of which can’t be found in the scientific literature. Be forewarned, you may never look at a wintering shorebird on a beach or mudflat the same way again!
Bird Names For Birds:
Calling Birds What They Really Are
Presented by Jordan Rutter
Date: May 6
Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
The concern about eponymous and honorific common bird names is not new. But the movement to see these names changed is.
Eponyms (a person after whom a discovery, invention, place, etc., is named or thought to be named) and honorific common bird names (a name given to something in honor of a person) are problematic because they perpetuate colonialism and the racism associated with it.
Join Jordan Rutter, co-founder of Bird Names for Birds, for a brief presentation and then Q&A style conversation about this topic.
Recommended Reading and Resources:
Bird Names for Birds website: www.birdnamesforbirds.wordpress.com
Historical Biographies of those birds are currently named after: https://birdnamesforbirds.wordpress.com/historical-profiles/
Additional articles and resources related to this topic: https://bit.ly/BirdNameArticles
Date: May 6
Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
The concern about eponymous and honorific common bird names is not new. But the movement to see these names changed is.
Eponyms (a person after whom a discovery, invention, place, etc., is named or thought to be named) and honorific common bird names (a name given to something in honor of a person) are problematic because they perpetuate colonialism and the racism associated with it.
Join Jordan Rutter, co-founder of Bird Names for Birds, for a brief presentation and then Q&A style conversation about this topic.
Recommended Reading and Resources:
Bird Names for Birds website: www.birdnamesforbirds.wordpress.com
Historical Biographies of those birds are currently named after: https://birdnamesforbirds.wordpress.com/historical-profiles/
Additional articles and resources related to this topic: https://bit.ly/BirdNameArticles
Advanced Eastern Warblers
Presented by Kevin Karlson
Date: Monday, May 8
Time: 1-2 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
This interactive workshop covers Eastern warblers, with immature plumages included. Each species appears in digital photo arrays that show most of the plumage possibilities in one view—breeding male/female, non-breeding, and immature, and this comparison helps with retention of important ID points. Key ID points appear as text on many images, which allows the audience to read these tips while Kevin is speaking. Similar species also appear together in digital arrays to enable direct comparison of their differences. Most photos are from Kevin’s popular “Warblers of North America” laminated foldout guide (Quick Reference Publishing, 2015). Quiz photos at the end of the program will test and reinforce your power of retention. A pdf of this program will be available to all participants who sign up for this workshop so that you can review the warbler photo arrays, and more importantly so participants can revisit similar species that have all pertinent ID tips embedded on many images.
Date: Monday, May 8
Time: 1-2 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
This interactive workshop covers Eastern warblers, with immature plumages included. Each species appears in digital photo arrays that show most of the plumage possibilities in one view—breeding male/female, non-breeding, and immature, and this comparison helps with retention of important ID points. Key ID points appear as text on many images, which allows the audience to read these tips while Kevin is speaking. Similar species also appear together in digital arrays to enable direct comparison of their differences. Most photos are from Kevin’s popular “Warblers of North America” laminated foldout guide (Quick Reference Publishing, 2015). Quiz photos at the end of the program will test and reinforce your power of retention. A pdf of this program will be available to all participants who sign up for this workshop so that you can review the warbler photo arrays, and more importantly so participants can revisit similar species that have all pertinent ID tips embedded on many images.
eBird and Merlin—tips, tricks, and looking to the future
Presented by Ian Davies
Date: Sunday, May 7
Time: 1-2 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
Bring your eBird and Merlin questions, learn some tips and tricks about how to make them even useful, and hear about some future directions for the projects.
Date: Sunday, May 7
Time: 1-2 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
Bring your eBird and Merlin questions, learn some tips and tricks about how to make them even useful, and hear about some future directions for the projects.
Raptor ID: Great Lakes Migration
Presented by Hannah Toutonghi
Date: Tuesday, May 9
Time: 1-2 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
We will dive into raptor identification, focusing on Great Lakes migration and the species that make this phenomena so special. From eagles, to buteos, to accipiters, to falcons, we'll cover tips and tricks to becoming a better birder and raptor specialist! Come prepared to learn and enjoy all facets of migration and identifying raptors in flight.
Date: Tuesday, May 9
Time: 1-2 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
We will dive into raptor identification, focusing on Great Lakes migration and the species that make this phenomena so special. From eagles, to buteos, to accipiters, to falcons, we'll cover tips and tricks to becoming a better birder and raptor specialist! Come prepared to learn and enjoy all facets of migration and identifying raptors in flight.
The Most Difficult Shorebird ID Challenges in North America
Presented by Kevin Karlson
Date: Wednesday, May 10
Time: 1-2 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
This workshop unravels some of the most difficult shorebird ID challenges that birders face in the field. Instead of showing all the shorebird species, Kevin provides tips on how to identify and separate some of the more difficult species. Comparative photo arrays of similar species with crucial ID text imbedded on the digital file reinforces what Kevin says in person. Species covered include the yellowlegs and Solitary Sandpiper, dowitchers, Dunlin, Stilt and Curlew Sandpipers, willets, and some peeps and plovers. While much of this workshop involves expert level information, it avoids technical ornithological terms whenever possible. Birders of all skill levels will find some helpful tips in this workshop, even though the focus is on advanced ID information. A pdf version of this program is available from the festival to all who sign up for the workshop so you can study this information at your leisure.
Date: Wednesday, May 10
Time: 1-2 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
This workshop unravels some of the most difficult shorebird ID challenges that birders face in the field. Instead of showing all the shorebird species, Kevin provides tips on how to identify and separate some of the more difficult species. Comparative photo arrays of similar species with crucial ID text imbedded on the digital file reinforces what Kevin says in person. Species covered include the yellowlegs and Solitary Sandpiper, dowitchers, Dunlin, Stilt and Curlew Sandpipers, willets, and some peeps and plovers. While much of this workshop involves expert level information, it avoids technical ornithological terms whenever possible. Birders of all skill levels will find some helpful tips in this workshop, even though the focus is on advanced ID information. A pdf version of this program is available from the festival to all who sign up for the workshop so you can study this information at your leisure.
Music of Birdsong:
Sorting Out the Singers in the Chorus
Presented by Lisa Rainsong
Date: Thursday, May 11
Time: 1-2 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
Learning bird songs can feel a little overwhelming at times, especially when it seems that everyone is singing at once! Bird song is music, and the techniques used in ear training and music appreciation classes can provide valuable tools for identification of birds and their repertoire.
Date: Thursday, May 11
Time: 1-2 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
Learning bird songs can feel a little overwhelming at times, especially when it seems that everyone is singing at once! Bird song is music, and the techniques used in ear training and music appreciation classes can provide valuable tools for identification of birds and their repertoire.
Advanced Gull Identification
Presented by Amar Ayyash
Date: Friday, May 12
Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
Gulls have gained a love-hate relationship with many birders. Among these larids are some of the most coveted bird species in the world, but not without their challenges. Recent genetic data and frequent hybridization in this family compel us to reassess the very concept of a species. Amar will touch on these topics as he highlights identification obstacles that aren’t often addressed in many field guides. This talk will emphasize several essential topics in gull identification such as the aging process, variable plumages and feather molt. Come join us and take your Gull ID skills to the next level!
Date: Friday, May 12
Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
Gulls have gained a love-hate relationship with many birders. Among these larids are some of the most coveted bird species in the world, but not without their challenges. Recent genetic data and frequent hybridization in this family compel us to reassess the very concept of a species. Amar will touch on these topics as he highlights identification obstacles that aren’t often addressed in many field guides. This talk will emphasize several essential topics in gull identification such as the aging process, variable plumages and feather molt. Come join us and take your Gull ID skills to the next level!
Revealing the secrets of migratory birds with the MOTUS Wildlife Tracking System
Presented by Ernesto Carman
Date: Saturday, May 13
Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
Bird migration has captured our curiosity for centuries, particularly the smallest, long distance migrants that cover thousands of kilometers in a single migration. As technology has advanced so has our knowledge of how exactly they achieve these flights. One system that has greatly advanced our knowledge on the migration of smaller species is the Motus Wildlife Tracking System. The spreading array of automated radio-telemetry stations throughout North, Central and South America is revealing important information about the migratory strategies of Neotropical migrants and thus providing crucial information needed for their conservation.
Date: Saturday, May 13
Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
Fee: $10
Registration Required: Yes
Bird migration has captured our curiosity for centuries, particularly the smallest, long distance migrants that cover thousands of kilometers in a single migration. As technology has advanced so has our knowledge of how exactly they achieve these flights. One system that has greatly advanced our knowledge on the migration of smaller species is the Motus Wildlife Tracking System. The spreading array of automated radio-telemetry stations throughout North, Central and South America is revealing important information about the migratory strategies of Neotropical migrants and thus providing crucial information needed for their conservation.