2022 KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS
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Pigeon Watching:
The Surprising Wonder of a Boring-seeming Bird
Presented by Rosemary Mosco of Bird and Moon Comics
Date: Friday, May 6, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
Rock Pigeons are everywhere. For most of us, they're a dull sight; they poop on our cars or clutter our eBird lists. But these birds are worth a second look. They have a 5000+ year history as companions to people, and that surprising relationship makes them fascinating to observe. With humor, cutting-edge research, and plenty of odd facts, author and cartoonist Rosemary Mosco of A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching will take you into a pigeon's world and help turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Rosemary Mosco makes books and cartoons that connect people with the natural world. Her Bird and Moon nature comics won the National Cartoonists Society’s award for Best Online Short Form Comic, were the subject of an award-winning museum exhibit, and are collected in a book that’s a 2019 ALA Great Graphic Novel for Teens. She co-wrote The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid, a NYT Best Seller, and wrote many other books for kids and adults. Her favorite glacial landform is the esker.
Date: Friday, May 6, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
Rock Pigeons are everywhere. For most of us, they're a dull sight; they poop on our cars or clutter our eBird lists. But these birds are worth a second look. They have a 5000+ year history as companions to people, and that surprising relationship makes them fascinating to observe. With humor, cutting-edge research, and plenty of odd facts, author and cartoonist Rosemary Mosco of A Pocket Guide to Pigeon Watching will take you into a pigeon's world and help turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Rosemary Mosco makes books and cartoons that connect people with the natural world. Her Bird and Moon nature comics won the National Cartoonists Society’s award for Best Online Short Form Comic, were the subject of an award-winning museum exhibit, and are collected in a book that’s a 2019 ALA Great Graphic Novel for Teens. She co-wrote The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid, a NYT Best Seller, and wrote many other books for kids and adults. Her favorite glacial landform is the esker.
Discovery and Rediscovery: How Birds Motivate And Inspire Us
Presented by Kenn Kaufman of Kaufman Field Guides
Date: Saturday, May 7, 2022
Time: 6-9 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $60 - Banquet Dinner Included
Registration Required: Yes
When explorers head into the unknown, when researchers launch a new study, or when birders go out to check the local park, we all have something in common: the desire for discovery. The ever-present chance of finding something new is a grand motivating force and a source of inspiration. As Black Swamp Bird Observatory celebrates 30 years of discoveries about the resident and migratory birds of this region, Kenn Kaufman will reflect on the roles of discovery, rediscovery, and wonder in our own lives.
Date: Saturday, May 7, 2022
Time: 6-9 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $60 - Banquet Dinner Included
Registration Required: Yes
When explorers head into the unknown, when researchers launch a new study, or when birders go out to check the local park, we all have something in common: the desire for discovery. The ever-present chance of finding something new is a grand motivating force and a source of inspiration. As Black Swamp Bird Observatory celebrates 30 years of discoveries about the resident and migratory birds of this region, Kenn Kaufman will reflect on the roles of discovery, rediscovery, and wonder in our own lives.
For the first time in Biggest Week history, the festival will feature a BANQUET dinner to celebrate Black Swamp Bird Observatory's 30th anniversary!
This special evening will feature keynote speaker, Kenn Kaufman.
Kenn's presentation, Discovery and Re-Discovery: How Birds Motivate And Inspire Us,
will provide some insight into his next book!
Registration for the banquet is one of the options in the festival registration.
We hope you'll join us for the special event on May 7!
This special evening will feature keynote speaker, Kenn Kaufman.
Kenn's presentation, Discovery and Re-Discovery: How Birds Motivate And Inspire Us,
will provide some insight into his next book!
Registration for the banquet is one of the options in the festival registration.
We hope you'll join us for the special event on May 7!
Amplify the Future of Birding and More
Presented by Tykee James of Amplify the Future
Date: Sunday, May 8, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
Tykee will share the journey of his professional career and what inspires him about the future birding.
Starting in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA, Tykee James was introduced to birding as a job and with that responsibility he learned how to build trust, power, and coalition in his own neighborhood. He has been a part of the birding community for a decade. Recently he earned recognition as the of the organizers of the first Black Birders Week in 2020 and later co-founded Amplify the Future to create opportunities for equity, justice, and joy in the birding community, STEAM, and the conservation movement.
Tykee is a highly motivated visionary leader. He co-founded Birder’s Fund and the Freedom Birders project, two feature programs of Amplify the Future, and is President of the DC Audubon Society, while sitting on the board for the Wyncote Audubon Society, the Birding Co-op, and Justice Outside, and serves as an elected councilor for Wilson Ornithological Society.
Date: Sunday, May 8, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
Tykee will share the journey of his professional career and what inspires him about the future birding.
Starting in his hometown of Philadelphia, PA, Tykee James was introduced to birding as a job and with that responsibility he learned how to build trust, power, and coalition in his own neighborhood. He has been a part of the birding community for a decade. Recently he earned recognition as the of the organizers of the first Black Birders Week in 2020 and later co-founded Amplify the Future to create opportunities for equity, justice, and joy in the birding community, STEAM, and the conservation movement.
Tykee is a highly motivated visionary leader. He co-founded Birder’s Fund and the Freedom Birders project, two feature programs of Amplify the Future, and is President of the DC Audubon Society, while sitting on the board for the Wyncote Audubon Society, the Birding Co-op, and Justice Outside, and serves as an elected councilor for Wilson Ornithological Society.
Cranes, Communities, and Conservation
Presented by Richard Beilfuss of International Crane Foundation
Date: Monday, May 9, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
Cranes, with their deep cultural connections, high visibility, extraordinary beauty, dramatic migrations, and striking behaviors, are among the most loved and revered birds on earth. Yet cranes are also among the most endangered families of birds in the world, with eleven of 15 species threatened and many populations in peril. Over the next 20 years, emerging challenges will further jeopardize cranes and the places where they dance --the rapid development of China (home to eight crane species), for example, and the impact of climate change on wetlands and water in Africa, Asia, and the USA. We will explore the role of communities worldwide in crane conservation efforts, as people work together to save some of the most extraordinary places on earth, and the livelihoods and wildlife that depend on them. We will explore win-win solutions for “Sarus Rice” and biodiversity conservation in Southeast Asia and new pathways for cranes, big mammals, and community livelihoods on the Kafue Flats of Zambia. We will share lessons learned from the struggle to bring back our iconic Whooping Cranes from the brink of extinction and the remarkable return of Sandhill Cranes to the Midwest.
Date: Monday, May 9, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
Cranes, with their deep cultural connections, high visibility, extraordinary beauty, dramatic migrations, and striking behaviors, are among the most loved and revered birds on earth. Yet cranes are also among the most endangered families of birds in the world, with eleven of 15 species threatened and many populations in peril. Over the next 20 years, emerging challenges will further jeopardize cranes and the places where they dance --the rapid development of China (home to eight crane species), for example, and the impact of climate change on wetlands and water in Africa, Asia, and the USA. We will explore the role of communities worldwide in crane conservation efforts, as people work together to save some of the most extraordinary places on earth, and the livelihoods and wildlife that depend on them. We will explore win-win solutions for “Sarus Rice” and biodiversity conservation in Southeast Asia and new pathways for cranes, big mammals, and community livelihoods on the Kafue Flats of Zambia. We will share lessons learned from the struggle to bring back our iconic Whooping Cranes from the brink of extinction and the remarkable return of Sandhill Cranes to the Midwest.
The Urban Birder Travels
Presented by David Lindo, the Urban Birder
Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
David Lindo, also known as The Urban Birder, has visited over 300 cities worldwide in search of urban birds. During his travels he has found a surprising number of committed conservationists, interesting birding locations and importantly, many birds. Join him on his journey in and around some of the world's urban areas.
David Lindo is a broadcaster, writer, speaker, educator and bird tour leader. His mission is to engage city folk around the world with the environment through the medium of birds.
He has written countless articles on urban birds, urban conservation and wildlife in general for many websites, publications and magazines and has written the Forwards to several books. He is a regular television and radio presenter and has been featured on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 in the UK as well as other TV and radio channels around the world including CBS in the United States.
Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
David Lindo, also known as The Urban Birder, has visited over 300 cities worldwide in search of urban birds. During his travels he has found a surprising number of committed conservationists, interesting birding locations and importantly, many birds. Join him on his journey in and around some of the world's urban areas.
David Lindo is a broadcaster, writer, speaker, educator and bird tour leader. His mission is to engage city folk around the world with the environment through the medium of birds.
He has written countless articles on urban birds, urban conservation and wildlife in general for many websites, publications and magazines and has written the Forwards to several books. He is a regular television and radio presenter and has been featured on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 in the UK as well as other TV and radio channels around the world including CBS in the United States.
The Secret Life of Warblers
Presented by Jamie Cunningham of Sabrewing Nature Tours
Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
Warblers are loved by many, and for good reason! These colorful, charismatic birds draw thousands of people every year to the Biggest Week in American Birding. But what about after they leave our Lake Erie shores? Where to they go? How to they spend their lives? Join Sabrewing Nature Tours guide Jamie Cunningham to explore the complex and fascinating lives of Warblers!
Date: Wednesday, May 11, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
Warblers are loved by many, and for good reason! These colorful, charismatic birds draw thousands of people every year to the Biggest Week in American Birding. But what about after they leave our Lake Erie shores? Where to they go? How to they spend their lives? Join Sabrewing Nature Tours guide Jamie Cunningham to explore the complex and fascinating lives of Warblers!
Ohio: a Hub of American Birds and Birding
Presented by Ethan Kistler of WINGS Worldwide Birding Tours
Date: Thursday, May 12, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
The buckeye state has always been known for having a significant number of people interested in birding. Is this by coincidence or a product of various explanations? In this talk, we’ll cover a wide range of topics extending from the history of birding in Ohio to why birding is so prevalent in the state today. We’ll also go in-depth on what makes the birding unique in Ohio by illustrating migration patterns, explaining the state’s unique position for breeding birds, sharing some of the incredible birding hospots, and revealing a whole host of other interesting facts that prove Ohio is more than just an average Midwestern state.
Date: Thursday, May 12, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
The buckeye state has always been known for having a significant number of people interested in birding. Is this by coincidence or a product of various explanations? In this talk, we’ll cover a wide range of topics extending from the history of birding in Ohio to why birding is so prevalent in the state today. We’ll also go in-depth on what makes the birding unique in Ohio by illustrating migration patterns, explaining the state’s unique position for breeding birds, sharing some of the incredible birding hospots, and revealing a whole host of other interesting facts that prove Ohio is more than just an average Midwestern state.
Maumee Bay Piping Plovers
Photo by Joshua Vardous of BurdSnaps
Presented by Dr. Francesca Cuthbert & Kimberly Kaufman
Date: Friday, May 13, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
The shores of the Great Lakes were once home to nearly 800 pairs of Piping Plovers. In 1990 that number had dropped to 13. There are currently around 65-70 nesting pairs in the Great Lakes Population. In 1986, the piping plover was placed on the Federal Endangered Species list. Their rapid population decline was, in part, due to nest disruption and predation as well as habitat deterioration. The Great Lakes Piping Plover Conservation Team a partner group of Federal and State Agencies, Great Lakes Tribes, Universities, Non-government organizations and interested private citizens works for recovery of this unique shorebird of the Great Lakes beaches.
In their presentation, Dr. Cuthbert and Kimberly will discuss the overall population and recovery effort, as well as the Nellie and Nish, the special little family of Piping Plovers that nesting in Ohio in 2021 for the first time in more than 80 years, capturing the hearts of the entire region.
Date: Friday, May 13, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
The shores of the Great Lakes were once home to nearly 800 pairs of Piping Plovers. In 1990 that number had dropped to 13. There are currently around 65-70 nesting pairs in the Great Lakes Population. In 1986, the piping plover was placed on the Federal Endangered Species list. Their rapid population decline was, in part, due to nest disruption and predation as well as habitat deterioration. The Great Lakes Piping Plover Conservation Team a partner group of Federal and State Agencies, Great Lakes Tribes, Universities, Non-government organizations and interested private citizens works for recovery of this unique shorebird of the Great Lakes beaches.
In their presentation, Dr. Cuthbert and Kimberly will discuss the overall population and recovery effort, as well as the Nellie and Nish, the special little family of Piping Plovers that nesting in Ohio in 2021 for the first time in more than 80 years, capturing the hearts of the entire region.
Birdie Big Year: Elevating Women Birders
Presented by Tiffany Kersten
Date: Saturday, May 14, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
Tiffany Kersten didn't set out to do a big year, but after a series of unanticipated and serendipitous events, she suddenly found herself amidst one. As a sexual assault survivor, she spent 2021 traveling to all corners of the Lower 48 States, gifting personal safety alarms to women she met on the trails, and raising awareness of women's safety in the outdoors. Her initial goal was to see 700 species, but she wound up breaking record.
Date: Saturday, May 14, 2022
Time: 4-5 PM
Location: Maumee Bay Lodge
Fee: $15
Registration Required: Yes
Tiffany Kersten didn't set out to do a big year, but after a series of unanticipated and serendipitous events, she suddenly found herself amidst one. As a sexual assault survivor, she spent 2021 traveling to all corners of the Lower 48 States, gifting personal safety alarms to women she met on the trails, and raising awareness of women's safety in the outdoors. Her initial goal was to see 700 species, but she wound up breaking record.