2025 Presentations and Workshops
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Eastern Vireos and Their Look-alikesPresented by Eric Ripma
Date: Friday, May 9 Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Do you want to learn how to identify the vireos of the eastern United States? In this program we'll cover the identification of the vireos as well as their look-alikes that confuse many a birder. We'll spend time analyzing photos of each species and going over the field marks that are most useful. Hopefully by the end you will feel comfortable identifying the next vireo that you see! Eric enjoys sharing his enthusiasm and knowledge, especially about identification, with birders of all ages and experience levels. After beginning birding at the age of ten in Indianapolis, Indiana, he birded every chance he had throughout his childhood. Birding has led him from spectacular migratory hotspots in the Great Lakes region to the Pacific coast and beyond. Eric has also spent time birding in many tropical locations throughout Central and South America.
He has worked for numerous bird-related projects including bird banding in the United States and Belize, monitoring breeding Caspian Terns in Oregon, counting migrating waterbirds at Whitefish Point, Michigan, and conducting shorebird surveys on Louisiana’s barrier islands. He is currently living in Louisiana and guiding birding tours for Sabrewing Nature Tours throughout North, Central, and South America. |
The Magic of Merlin Bird ID
Presented by Kathi Borgmann
Date: Friday, May 9 Time: 1-2 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Discover the magic of Merlin Bird ID by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Learn all about how Merlin works and get tips on using it to help you find more birds. Plus I'll share what's in store in the future and talk about how you can become part of the Merlin community. Kathi's work focuses on engaging people in science, birds, and nature. Her love of birds and the natural world drives Kathi to share her passions to educate and inspire. Kathi manages and coordinates the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's communications, helping the Cornell Lab maximize their impact to reverse pervasive bird declines. Kathi loves writing and talking about science and helping people see the amazing things in our world. Kathi has traveled the world studying, watching, and recording birds from the Sierra Nevada mountains to the Chihuahuan Desert, and from the rainforests to the cloud forests in Central and South America. During her Masters, Kathi examined the effects of non-native plants on nesting success of birds in rural and urban landscapes. Her PhD. took her to the Sierra Nevada mountains where she led a wildlife restoration project. Kathi also examined the effects that seasonal changes in the environment can have on the nesting success of songbirds for her PhD.
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Introduction to Gull Identification
Presented by Amar Ayyash
Date: Saturday, May 10 Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Often approached with apprehension, gulls have gained a love-hate relationship with many birders. Among these larids are some of the most coveted bird species in the world. Amar will highlight key identification field marks for separating our most common gull species, and he will also touch on some of the often-ignored topics in gull-study such as the aging process, plumage and molt. Come learn why an increasing number of people are being drawn to this family of birds and are eagerly calling themselves “larophiles". Amar Ayyash is both an expert on the gulls of North America and an evangelist for "gull recreation". He coordinates the Illinois Ornithological Society’s Annual Gull Frolic on Lake Michigan, hosts the popular website anythinglarus.com, and is often found speaking at birding events throughout the continent. Much of his free time is dedicated to traveling the world to photograph and study gulls. Ayyash has published a number of papers and articles on gull identification, distribution, and molt. He is the author of the authoritative guide to North American Gulls -- The Gull Guide. Amar lives in northern Illinois where he teaches mathematics.
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Warbler Song ID
Presented by Gautam Apte
Date: Saturday, May 10 Time: 1-2 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 The great spectacle of spring migration along Lake Erie is not complete without the complex choruses of birdsong echoing through woodlots and thickets all across northwest Ohio. Join us as we dive into some of the sounds of springtime and explore the world of warbler songs. With spectacular diversity and variation to rival even the visual experience of warbler migration, unlocking the chorus of trills, slurs, and buzzes is a great way to expand your birding experience every time you are out in the field. We hope you enjoy this interactive presentation filled with sound recordings and visual aids to paint a bigger picture of warbler songs both here in Ohio and further afield. Gautam is a lifelong birder and field biologist originally from Cleveland, Ohio. After spending his early years enjoying the spectacles of fall waterbirds and spring songbirds along the shores of Lake Erie, he went on to earn his degree in Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife Science from The Ohio State University. He has worked with birds on a number of projects all over the United States, but is most interested in studying the various mechanisms of migration in all its forms. Most recently, he completed his third season counting the autumn songbird migration at Cape May, New Jersey. Gautam is thrilled to be returning to Ohio for the spring to observe one of the continent's great migratory spectacles once again.
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Optical Clarity: The Right Binocular for you
Presented by Whitney Lanfranco
Date: Sunday, May 11 Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Whitney Lanfranco of Land, Sea, & Sky will walk you through the optics you can use for birding and beyond. There are many different manufacturers and models, all built to serve certain needs. Find out more about the questions to ask when optic shopping, what optics might work best for you, and learn how to get the most of the optics you already have. Whitney Lanfranco is a long time birdwatcher and binocular user. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Zoology but left zoo keeping for the glamorous life of ecotourism. She has worked in the optics industry for several years first at the Nature Sales Manager for Leica and now as the Birding and Nature Manager for Land Sea and Sky.
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The Warbler Guide: An Introduction to Warbler Identification
Presented by Tom Stephenson
Date: Sunday, May 11 Time: 1-2 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Warblers are some of the most beautiful birds in the world. In this talk we’ll cover some of the most important ID points for these colorful birds. We’ll also talk about what to look for when you find a confusing species and outline a simple, step-by-step process that can really speed up identification. And, of course, we’ll study lots of colorful photos of these amazing birds. Tom has been birding since he was a kid. His articles and photographs are in museums and many publications including Handbook of the Birds of the World, Handbook of the Mammals of the World, Birds of Madagascar, and Guide to the Birds of SE Brazil. He’s guided many groups in the Americas and Asia, and had the honor of training guides for the government of Bhutan. He’s won categories in the World Series of Birding and holds the US photo big-day record at 208 species. As a musician Tom played concerts and did studio work for many years, worked with several Grammy and Academy Award winners, and performed with members of the NY Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra. His clients included the Grateful Dead, Phil Collins and the FBI.
His latest book, The Warbler Guide, is published by Princeton University Press and won the National Outdoor Book Award. The Warbler Guide App includes 3D rotating models and won the 2015 Design Award for AAUP. He is currently working on five more books and apps for Princeton including a full US field guide app based on the 3D rotation and comparison features in The Warbler Guide app. Tom has a patent on technology to identify animal vocalizations using a wide range of analytic criteria. |
Everyone's Singing at Once! Sorting out the Singers in the Chorus
Presented by Lisa Rainsong
Date: Monday, May 12 Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Have you ever tried to learn bird songs in May? If so, you quickly discovered that everyone seems to be singing at once. Although it may feel almost impossible to sort out the singers and the songs, music theory professor Lisa Rainsong will introduce you to a step by step approach that is engaging and enjoyable. If weather permits, we’ll walk outside after the indoor presentation so that we can practice our listening skills. Lisa Rainsong holds a Doctor of Music in composition from the Cleveland Institute of Music and has recently retired after 22 years on the music theory faculty at CIM. She teaches birdsong, insect song, and amphibian song classes across the state and makes field recordings of all these avian, orthopteran, and amphibian singers. In addition, she does field research throughout NE Ohio on crickets and katydids – research that is done primarily by ear. Her online field guide to NE Ohio’s singing insects at Listeningintoinsects.com includes her own recordings, photographs, and field research. Her naturalist stories and field observations can be found on her blog at http://listeninginnature.blogspot.com and information on her programs is available at Listeninginnature.com.
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The Warbler Guide: Advanced Warbler ID
Presented by Tom Stephenson
Date: Monday, May 12 Time: 1-2 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 The Overlooked ID Points that Make Identifying Warblers Easy: Our warblers are some of the most beautiful birds in the world. But their beautiful colors often blind birders to many of their most important ID points. This problem is compounded by the often brief and obstructed views we have in the field. This talk discusses many of these very important but often overlooked ID points such as overall contrast, subtle facial features, color impressions, feather edging, rump contrast, and foraging style, location, and behavior. And fortunately, viewing a warbler from below can reveal some of the most important ID points for many species. Learn how many tail and undertail covert patterns are, in fact, diagnostic alone or when combined with one other ID point. Individual species, especially the most challenging to identify, will also be discussed with outlines of the important ID points, comparisons with similar species, and illustrations of how even partial views can be used to identify many of even the most challenging warbler species. |
Bird Look-alikes ID Workshop
Presented by Andrew Marden
Date: Tuesday, May 13 Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 If you're having trouble with similar species pairs, we're here to help! This talk will go over how to differentiate between many species groups that can often be quite confusing. We will cover Downy vs. Hairy Woodpecker, Common vs. Forster's Tern, some of those nondescript brown birds you might find hopping around under your feeder, and many more. Andrew has had an interest in birds for most of his life, and that interest has taken him up and down his home state of New Jersey, across the country, and around the world. Andrew has spent many seasons in Cape May to witness the wonderful fall migration that it has to offer, including a season as an Interpretive Naturalist for Cape May Bird Observatory. He has participated nine times in NJ Audubon's World Series of Birding, which is a 24-hour birding competition and fundraiser on the second Saturday of May in New Jersey. He also spent the past spring leading walks for Sabrewing Nature Tours and Houston Audubon on the Upper Texas Coast. Andrew loves birding anywhere with a migration spectacle, and he is very excited to return to the Biggest Week for his fourth straight year. He is currently pursuing a Masters Degree at Northeastern University where he hopes to work on habitat restoration projects in their Environmental Science and Policy program.
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Identifying and Appreciating Terns
Presented by Kenn Kaufman
Date: Tuesday, May 13 Time: 1-2 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Graceful and beautiful birds of the water’s edge, terns are usually considered to be less confusing than their relatives, the gulls. However, they can still be challenging to identify—their most reliable field marks often consist of small details that are hard to see at a distance, while their most obvious marks are subject to a surprising amount of variation with age and season. In this talk, Kenn will review the basics of identifying the terns. Although he will focus mainly on the tern species of the Midwest, he’ll discuss principles that apply to sorting out these birds everywhere.
Kenn burst onto the North American birding scene as a teenager in the 1970s hitch-hiking all over the continent in pursuit of birds, an adventure later chronicled in his cult-classic book Kingbird Highway. After several years as a professional bird tour leader taking groups to all seven continents, he transitioned to a career as a writer, editor and illustrator.
Most of his energy currently goes into book projects and painting bird portraits. His 13 books include seven titles in his own series, Kaufman Field Guides which are designed to encourage beginners by making the first steps in nature study as easy as possible. His next book is The Birds That Audubon Missed scheduled for publication in May 2024. Kenn is a field editor for the National Audubon Society and a Fellow of the American Ornithological Society, and is the only person alive to have received the American Birding Association’s lifetime achievement award twice. |
Raptor ID 101
Presented by Erik Bruhnke
Date: Wednesday, May 14 Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Have you ever wondered what that speck of a hawk is way out on the horizon, or the one circling right over your head? Would you like to learn about the raptors found throughout the area and in your backyard? Are you interested in fine-tuning your hawkwatching skills? Come join Erik as he shares a wealth of knowledge about raptors along with catchy identification anecdotes, and an abundance of his raptor photography, to help you enhance your appreciation and identification skills of these splendid birds. Erik Bruhnke has loved birds since he was a child looking at chickadees. He graduated from Northland College in Wisconsin with a Natural Resources degree in 2008 and taught field ornithology at Northland College for three semesters. After graduation his springs and summers were spent conducting bird surveys through northern forests, vast prairies, and western mountains. He worked as an interpreter for six fall seasons at Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory in Duluth, Minnesota; counted migrating raptors at the Corpus Christi HawkWatch in Texas in 2015; and was the 2016, 2017, and 2018 hawk counter at the Cape May Hawkwatch in New Jersey. In the fall of 2020, he educated visitors at the Cape May Hawkwatch. Throughout the past two fall seasons he has assisted counting raptors and pointing out the migration to visitors back at Hawk Ridge; his earlier hawkwatching stomping grounds. Visible migration makes him happy, as does helping people connect with the world of birds. Erik’s wildlife photography has won national awards, and he’s written for the American Birding Association’s Birder’s Guide, BirdWatching magazine, and Bird Watcher’s Digest. Erik is a birding tour guide for Victor Emanuel Nature Tours as well as his own business, Naturally Avian. He enjoys hiking, kayaking, ice skating, and just being out in the snow. In his free time he loves to cook and bake, often following the recipes of his Omas and Opas.
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Sparrow ID
Presented by Gautam Apte
Date: Wednesday, May 14 Time: 1-2 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Always abundant but notoriously confusing, sparrows can be a real treat for birders when they aren't an identification headache. Join us to learn some new tips and tricks to make the most out of your birding next time you're out in the field. We'll explore some identification methods that most field guides don't cover and aim to simplify and advance your understanding of this tricky family. |
Tracking in the 21st Century: How we Know Where Wildlife Goes
Presented by Scott Whittle
Date: Thursday, May 15 Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Following wildlife migration has been a puzzle for people throughout history. In the past 30 years we've seen tremendous new tools in telemetry and bioacoustics that promise to give us powerful new insights into the movements of birds and animals, and tools that will help us preserve the natural and human world alike. Come find out the latest technologies and the hidden stories they reveal about life on earth. Scott is a bird expert and author. His passion for the natural world has led to co-authoring The Warbler Guide and the Warbler Guide App, and now he is president of the Terra Project, which uses sound to connect people to local nature while simultaneously creating a powerful new tool for conservation. He is excited at the idea of making technology that will bring people closer to nature while helping nature thrive alongside people. |
Thrushes and Their Look-alikes
Presented by Erik Bruhnke
Date: Thursday, May 15 Time: 1-2 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 The world of thrushes is filled with charismatic song and impressive migration. Every year these birds wow us with their beauty, and every year these birds cause identification challenges among fellow birders. Thrushes share many similarities to each other and also look like other birds completely unrelated to them! Join in the fun as Erik talks about the field marks, songs, and more with thrushes and their look-alikes. |
Save the songbirds: Action at home and beyond
Presented by Brian Cunningham
Date: Friday, May 16 Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Thanks to the 3 billion birds report from 2019…we are now aware that bird populations have declined by nearly 30% since the 1970’s. The losses include some of our beloved backyard birds. But, with your help, there is hope! We’ll cover the 7 Simple Actions that anyone can implement at home and beyond to help reverse the decline. Brian Cunningham has a love for the outdoors, nature and birds. His greatest passion is helping others experience nature and opening their eyes to the wonder and beauty of birds. As a young boy, he tried imitating the various birds calling in his backyard. That grew into an initial career in environmental education.
Brian serves as the Naturalist for Wild Birds Unlimited, a franchise system with nearly 360 stores across the US and Canada, and hosts their Nature Centered podcast. With three decades of experience, he utilizes his vast knowledge of the backyard bird feeding hobby while leading bird outings and programs for groups of all ages. If you're ever birding with him and things slow down, you’re sure to learn about some edible plants or interesting insects and their relationships to birds. |
Wake Up and Smell the Conservation:
The Benefits of Drinking ABA's Song Bird Coffee
Presented by Kelly Smith
Date: Friday, May 17 Time: 1:00-2:00 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Can you help bird conservation by simply enjoying your morning cup of coffee each day? Is there a difference between Bird Friendly and shade-grown coffee? How do they even roast coffee anyway? Join Kelly Smith of the American Birding Association to follow the journey those little beans take from the fincas in Central and South America to your kitchen, and how they support coffee farmers, the efforts of the ABA, and the protection of countless birds through community outreach and conservation along the way. Of course, coffee will be served! Migrating songbirds need a place to rest on their long journeys and bird friendly shade-grown coffee is one way to ensure that their precious habitats are being preserved. Shade-grown coffee farms not only produce the best tasting coffees, they also support a wide variety of natural habitats and ecosystems. These conditions allow for a higher diversity of birds, plants, pollinators, mammals, and other species vs. the monoculture of full-sun coffee plantations. Purchasing Bird Friendly coffee is not only good for the habitats and ecosystems they create, it is also great for people, too! Rich and flavorful tasting coffee produced by certified organic coffee farmers protects water sources for the communities they live in and makes stronger local economies. The American Birding Association is proud to work with our longtime partner Thanksgiving Coffee Company to bring you Song Bird Coffee. Song Bird is grown on small farms that have been certified Bird Friendly by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, the gold standard for shade-grown, organic coffees. |
Many members may recognize Kelly as the ABA representative at various bird festivals, events, and conferences around the ABA area. A research and conservation-minded naturalist, she has volunteered or served on the board of many nature organizations for the last fifteen years including the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival and Balcones Songbird Festival, the South Texas Border Chapter Texas Master Naturalists, the Friends of the Wildlife Corridor and the Friends of Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge, Texas Pelagics, the Texas Ornithological Society, and the Brandywine Zoo Kestrel Monitoring Program. She has also spent years assisting raptor and songbird banding projects in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Kelly puts her business degree and volunteer experience to work for the ABA as the Conservation and Outreach Director leading programs like Community Weekends, Birders’ Exchange, Song Bird Coffee, Bird of the Year, and ABA Sales. When not at work or volunteering, Kelly spends her time hiking and kayaking around San Antonio, Texas and scuba-diving in the Caribbean.
Birding 101
Presented by Cassidy Ficker
Date: Saturday, May 17 Time: 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Flipping through the pages of a field guide can be very intimidating to a new birder, with countless photos and unfamiliar terms. Before learning the differences between species, it is important to learn what one should be looking for. From locating important field marks to explaining what terms such as "bill droopiness" and "supercilium" actually mean, join this presentation to understand how to work through identifying birds on your own! Cassidy Ficker is a senior veterinary student at the Ohio State University, planning to specialize in companion animals and wildlife when she becomes a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2026. She completed her undergrad at OSU in the spring of 2022 with a major in Animal Sciences and minor in Wildlife Sciences. She has been a birder since third grade, growing up in the Miami Valley Christian Academy Bird Club and Ohio Young Birders Club. One of her favorite aspects of birding is connecting with others as we all celebrate a common love for birds, and she has been honored to have ample opportunities to do this both as the former president of the Ornithology Club at Ohio State and a guide at the Biggest Week in American Birding festival for the past few years. The Biggest Week area is particularly special to her as she serves as an eBird reviewer for the counties.
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An introduction to Morning Flight
Presented by Jerald Reb
Date: Saturday, May 17 Time: 1-2 p.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Here at the Biggest Week in American Birding, we get to experience the magic of migration firsthand, with thousands of songbirds seemingly dripping from every tree. Join Jerald Reb as he dives into the factors behind songbird migration, including wind patterns, geography, and the phenomenon known as morning flight - newly arrived songbirds that appear in the first hours of the day, before making their way to migration stopover sites such as Magee Marsh. Born and raised in Delaware, Jerald Reb grew up making frequent birding trips to nearby Cape May, New Jersey. After graduating high school, he dove headfirst into visible migration monitoring in Cape May, and has since worked there as a counter for the Spring Seawatch, Morning Flight Count, and Hawkwatch. In 2024, Jerald served as the counter for the inaugural year of the Morning Flight Monitoring Project at the Biggest Week in American Birding. Jerald is excited to return to that project in 2025, and hopes to share his knowledge with others interested in the spectacle of migration!
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Introduction to Bird Photography
Presented by Jamie Cunningham
Date: Friday, May 9 Time: 12:30-2 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $30 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 40 Do you love nature? Do you own a camera? Then this class is for you! Join professional wildlife photography Jamie Cunningham of Sabrewing Nature Tours for tips and tricks to capturing great images, no matter what type of camera you are using! This class covers the basics from do's and don'ts, when is the best time to shoot, composition, recommended gear, beginning editing and more! Please bring your camera of choice with you to the class. Jamie has had a lifelong interest in all nature and wildlife, but especially birds. A visit to Magee Marsh in NW Ohio during the Biggest Week in American Birding festival turned her interest into a passion. Since then, Jamie dove headfirst into birding and especially bird photography. Jamie works as a birding and photography guide for Sabrewing Nature Tours and enjoys traveling all over the world to photograph and lead tours. Her award-winning images have been featured in a number of publications and were even featured in her own gallery. Jamie was instrumental in forming a Nature Photography club in her hometown, where she shares her wealth of knowledge with members. She is heavily involved in local conservation efforts in her hometown. Jamie is proud of her involvement as an advisor for the Ohio Young Birder’s Club. She is passionate about sharing her love of birds with youth and spends time traveling to local schools and teaching students about birds and conservation. Jamie hopes to inspire others to enjoy birds and join in conservation efforts to help birds in any way they can. |
Point and Shoot Warbler Photography
Presented by Stephen Ingraham
Date: Friday, May 9 and Saturday, May 10 Time: 9-10:30 a.m. Location: Meet at west end of Magee Marsh Wildlife Area boardwalk Fee: $30 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 10 Warbler photography is hard…but we do not have to make it any harder. If your sophisticated modern camera, from bridge to mirrorless, is set up for easy bird, wildlife, and nature photography, you can let the camera take care of everything it can, while you enjoy finding and framing the warblers. Steve will provide written and video instructions to help you get your camera ready….and we will have lots of opportunities to practice at Magee Marsh.
Steve Ingraham has been photographing nature since his early teens (almost 70 years). He became well known in the birding community for his reviews of optics and for Better View Desired, one of the first ever blogs on the internet. For the last 12 years of his working life, he was the Birding Specialist for ZEISS Sports Optics. Since retirement he has dedicated himself to teaching others bird, wildlife, and nature photography the easy way…the Point and Shoot way. |
Photography Contests: Should you or Shouldn't you?
Presented by Gail Bisson
Date: Sunday, May 11 Time: 12:30-2 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $30 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 40 We will discuss the pros and cons of entering photography contests. All the must do's and must dont's as well as the why and why not?
Gail has been involved with contests as a participant and a judge. She has judged for BirdLife Australia, Wild Art Photographer of the Year, Kingbirder and is now the photo contest editor for the Journal of Wildlife photography. She has enjoyed the highs of winning a few contests (Audubon , Kingbirder and BPOTY) and the lows of not making the cut. She lives in Nova Scotia, Canada and is a retired family physician, married with 2 daughters. |
Light, Shadow, Background!
Presented by Kevin Loughlin
Date: Monday, May 12, and Tuesday, May 13 Time: Monday 12:30-2 p.m. classroom, Tuesday 7-9:30 a.m. in the field * Please note that this workshop has two parts on two different days* Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room, Field component at Maumee Bay Nature Center Fee: $80 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 10 Part 1 Classroom: The art of photography is based upon light and shadow. Having a proper understanding of exposure will help you create better images of any subject and take your photography to the next level! What lies behind your subject can make or break your final image. Learning to pay attention to all elements in your image, especially the background, will help you get better photos. we will discuss using different lenses and depth of focus to isolate your subject or show it in its environment.
Part 2 In the field: Expanding on the classroom seminar, we will discuss how to “see” light and shadow and how it will affect the subject as well as the background of your images. We’ll visit proper exposure to help highlight your subject and paying attention to your camera’s histograms for best exposure. We will also explore paying attention to your backgrounds, not only to eliminate distractions but to add interest. Kevin Loughlin was raised to appreciate nature. At age six, Kevin became fascinated with photography as well seeing the new and different birds throughout North America. Instilled with a love for travel and seeking new, exciting destinations he felt a desire to share his experiences with others and in 1993 Wildside Nature Tours was founded. Kevin’s photographs and articles have appeared in publications such as Nature Photographer, Outdoor Photographer, Living Bird, Birding and Audubon Magazines, as well as numerous natural history books. His most recent book project GALAPAGOS: A NATURAL HISTORY was co-authored with John Kricher and published by Princeton University Press in November 2022. |
Photo Editing Workshop
Presented by Diego Quesada
Date: Tuesday, May 13 Time: 12:30-2 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $30 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 40 In this program, Diego will share some knowledge on the process of editing photos, helping the participants to learn about how to create a work flow, and using tools and programs such as Fast Raw Viewer, Camera Raw and Adobe Photoshop. |
Diego Quesada is a Costa Rican born and raised nature lover, working as Certified Naturalist Guide since 2002. He is a birder and Tourist Agent in Costa Rica with his company Birding Experiences.
He has a degree in Natural Resources Management, is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Ornithologist Association of Costa Rica, and is involved with Bird Monitoring Projects and Sustainability Consulting. He is part of the organization of the Arenal Annual Bird Count.
Since 2014, has been on the 10 top eBirders in Costa Rica, summiting checklists of his observations during his birding expeditions. He is also a volunteer reviewer for eBird in Costa Rica.
He spends his time birding not only in Costa Rica, but in nearby Countries such as Nicaragua and Panama (where he recently saw two Harpy Eagles for the first time) and more recently USA, UK, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador.
He enjoys photographing birds in the field and spending time editing the pictures on his computer.
His personal business is www.caracaracr.com, a family company that reproduces the amazing illustrations of tropical birds. Some of the proceeds are destined to fund the Ibycter Project, a research effort to study the locally endangered Red-throated Caracara in Costa Rica.
He has a degree in Natural Resources Management, is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Ornithologist Association of Costa Rica, and is involved with Bird Monitoring Projects and Sustainability Consulting. He is part of the organization of the Arenal Annual Bird Count.
Since 2014, has been on the 10 top eBirders in Costa Rica, summiting checklists of his observations during his birding expeditions. He is also a volunteer reviewer for eBird in Costa Rica.
He spends his time birding not only in Costa Rica, but in nearby Countries such as Nicaragua and Panama (where he recently saw two Harpy Eagles for the first time) and more recently USA, UK, Mexico, Guatemala, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador.
He enjoys photographing birds in the field and spending time editing the pictures on his computer.
His personal business is www.caracaracr.com, a family company that reproduces the amazing illustrations of tropical birds. Some of the proceeds are destined to fund the Ibycter Project, a research effort to study the locally endangered Red-throated Caracara in Costa Rica.
Backyard Beauties:
Secrets to Creative Backyard Bird Photography
Presented by Marie Read
Date: Wednesday, May 14 Time: 12:30-2 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $30 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 40 Do you want to take beautiful photos of birds? But budget or time constraints have put the dampers on your travel plans? No worries—there are great photo opportunities all year round right outside your door! In this lively presentation, acclaimed wildlife photographer Marie Read shares lots of practical advice to help you turn your backyard into a bird photography paradise. She’ll reveal insider tips and creative techniques for capturing beautiful, dynamic images of the birds that share your yard, including using photo equipment and blinds, creating attractive and naturalistic setups, working with bird feeders and natural food plants, action and flight shots, and more. Plus bird-friendly gardening tips to increase the avian diversity of your property for even more photo opportunities. Wildlife photographer and author Marie Read has forged a career out of capturing special moments in birds’ lives, creating images that combine beauty with impactful storytelling. Her photos are published nationally and internationally in magazines, books, and calendars. She’s won numerous awards, including Highly Commended for Birds in Flight in the 2023 Bird Photographer of the Year Contest. Other contests include the North American Nature Photography Association Showcase, Share The View contest, Audubon Photography Awards and Nature’s Best. Her articles and photo essays about bird behavior and bird photography have appeared in Living Bird, Bird Watching, Nature’s Best, and Wild Planet, among others. Marie has authored or co-authored five books, including the best-selling title Mastering Bird Photography: the Art, Craft and Technique of Photographing Birds and Their Behavior. |
Creative Bird Photography
Presented by Jamie Cunningham
Date: Thursday, May 15 Time: 12:30-2 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $30 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 40 Join Sabrewing Nature Tours Photo guide Jamie Cunningham on this immersive photo workshop that will help you create unique images! This will be a classroom workshop that will help you learn tips and tricks to create various styles of images by using light, composition and editing techniques. Jamie will help you think outside the box and learn what it takes to make a shot that really stands out! |
Kicking it up a Notch: Taking Your Photography to the Next Level
Presented by Brian Zwiebel
Date: Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 17 Time: Friday 12:30-2 p.m., Saturday 7-9:30 a.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room, Field Component location TBD Fee: $80 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 10 This program will include a brief review of some basics before diving head first into some more advanced concepts including discussion on which exposure modes to use when. We'll discuss getting the most from your autofocus system and include a brief overview of fill flash vs. flash as the main light source. Finally, Brian will tie it all together discussing how he uses the various settings in some of his favorite forms of bird photography including waterfowl, warblers and shorebirds. Brian is owner and guide at Sabrewing Nature Tours Sabrewing Nature Tours. He began his journey with birds by enrolling in an Ornithology class at Hocking College in 1993. More than 30 of his images have been featured at the National Center for Nature Photography in Toledo, OH. Brian's award-winning photography has been internationally published and used in articles he authored for Audubon and B&H Photo-Video’s Explora blog. |
Fledgling WatercolorPresented by Susan Brickner-Wren
Date: Friday, May 9 Time: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 14 Watercolor workshop geared towards artists starting to explore watercolor. This session will cover the basics of watercolor materials and techniques. How to avoid some of the stumbling blocks on the path to learning the media will be followed by a paint-along style demonstration. Geared towards beginners to watercolor and artists wanting to refresh their skills. A small supply list will be e-mailed to all registered participants. The paint-along will be transferred to Arches watercolor paper prior to the workshop to allow more time for practice and painting.
Susan Brickner-Wren is an award-winning artist from the heart of Ohio, working in watercolor. She’s a featured artist for Arches premium watercolor paper. A born outdoor enthusiast, she draws inspiration from exploration of the natural world. She paints a range of subjects, but has a special appreciation for birds. “Birds have always held a bit of magic to me. Their mastery of flight, freedom and song mesmerized me as a child. The diversity, adaptability and beauty of birds is staggering.” Professionally, she protects the environment as a wastewater operations supervisor with a background in Chemistry and Microbiology. In her free time she’s often birding, gathering reference photos of birds while honing her photography skills, painting, or planning the next adventure. |
Watercolor Takes Wing
Presented by Susan Brickner-Wren
Date: Saturday, May 10 Time: 12-3 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 14 Transparent watercolor captures light, movement and color like no other media. This workshop will teach techniques to mix vibrant colors, draw focus to the subject and create a pleasing background. The paint-along will be done in traditional style with transparent colors while preserving the paper white as needed. Best suited for artists with some watercolor experience. A small supply list and introductory material will be e-mailed to all registered participants. The painting will be transferred to Arches watercolor paper prior to the workshop to allow time to discuss composition and focus on the painting process. Photo of the 2024 workshop painting, but 2025 will be all new!
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Needle Felted Bird Painting
Presented by Julie Davis
Date: Saturday, May 10, or Tuesday, May 13 Time: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 8 In this three hour workshop you will learn how to do a “painting “of a bird by using a needle felting and wool. A pre-felted wool background will be provided and we will add details of a bird by needle felting. I will have pictures to choose from or you can bring your own. If bringing your own photo, please bring two copies that will fit into the 8” X 10” format. Your finished piece will be roughly 8” X 10”.
Julie's bio: I have always loved nature and art. Colors intrigue me. As a birder, I am continually amazed by the beauty of birds and other animals. Over the years I have tried many different art mediums, while I enjoyed most of them, I never found the one that spoke to me. I can’t wear wool and have never tried any craft that involved a needle (sewing, knitting, etc..) So of course I have found my niche in needle felted wool! I began wet felting in January of 2014 and loved it. Soon, I wanted to find a way to add more detail to make my pieces more realistic. I found books on needle felting and gave it a go. I hope to continue to improve my craft and I hope others enjoy it as well! |
Bird Art Basics
Presented by Christina Baal
Date: Sunday, May 11, and Monday, May 12 Time: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 15 Have you ever wanted to draw birds, but found it difficult to know how to start? Or maybe you already love drawing birds, but want to learn some new tips and tricks to enhance your practice? This bird drawing workshop is designed to break through the trepidation of the “white page” and get you drawing birds right away. We will learn simple but effective techniques to improve drawing and observation skills that can be easily practiced even alongside hectic daily schedules. Most importantly, this workshop is designed to convince you that drawing is fun and can be a practice to look forward to in order to improve your skills as an artist AND as a birder. While this workshop is geared toward beginners, all skill levels are welcome! Basic art materials will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own favorites.
Christina Baal is a bird artist, naturalist, and bird guide whose dream is to meet and paint 10,000 different species of birds. After graduating from Bard College in 2014, she started her art business, Drawing 10,000 Birds, and has since traveled nonstop looking for birds. Christina loves going to bird festivals to show her artwork, lead trips, teach art, and spend time with the birding community. She has designed artwork for Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival, The Biggest Week in American Birding, New Jersey Audubon’s World Series of Birding, and the American Birding Association's Bird of the Year program in 2022. Aside from creating art and watching birds, Christina loves working as an environmental educator, teaching classes on birds and art to help others fall in love with the natural world. |
A Sanctuary of Stars: Shimmer Watercolor Workshop
Presented by Nora Steele
Date: Sunday, May 11 and Tuesday, May 13 Time: 12-3 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 15 Discover the magic of the night sky and its profound impact on the natural world in this Shimmer Watercolor Workshop led by skilled artist and naturalist Nora Steele. During the class participants will learn about the importance of preserving dark night skies as a sanctuary for other species and use shimmer watercolors to make details come to life- giving their artistic subjects a glowing 3D effect. Each participant will leave with at least two finished projects. This workshop is perfect for both beginning and experienced artists looking to deepen their understanding of the natural world. Nora Steele is an artist and naturalist in the Hocking Hills area of Ohio. Her childhood curiosity about mythology led her to explore the outdoors, hoping to encounter the magical fairy folk. Instead, she discovered the captivating magic of nature itself, which she now brings to life through her digital illustrations. Nora's goal is to create art that educates and inspires others to appreciate the beauty of nature, emphasizing the importance of preserving our natural resources for future generations. Her work celebrates the region's flora and fauna, promoting both education and preservation while connecting people with nature through the power of Art. |
Decorating Cookies with PattyeBakes
Presented by Pattye Nicolls
Date: Monday, May 12 Time: 12-3 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 8 Join PattyeBakes for a fun cookie decorating workshop where by the end of this class you will take home 4-6 bird shaped cookies that you have decorated. Cookies, tools, icing, and instructions will be provided in the class.
PattyeBakes Cookies is run by Pattye Nicolls. Proceeds from her bakes go to support Good Grief of Northwest Ohio and other nonprofits throughout the area. Pattye is retired from Toledo Children's Hospital and loves to volunteer. When she's not baking, she loves birding with her bird buddies.
Pattye is one of the 2024 Black Swamp Bird Observatory Volunteers of the Year. Along with the other Volunteer of the Year winner, Julie Heitz, they have raised thousands of dollars for the Ohio Young Birders Club from holding their annual Birder's Tea. |
From the Field to the Gallery: Foundations of art as it Relates to Birds
Presented by Vern Bialecki
Date: Wednesday, May 14 Time: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 15 Let’s give you a foundation on creating a piece of art, whether you want to be sketching from the field or building a portfolio of bird related art. Whether you want to be better at note taking in your sketchbook or make a piece of fully fledged artwork. We will be discussing characteristics of line, shape, color, and forms; and how we can use techniques to draw birds. Birds come in many shapes and sizes and often do that thing they do, fly away. So, let’s use the same techniques we use while birding, to do art. Beginners and experts welcome. Bring sketch book, paper, pens, crayon, markers - whatever you would like to use. This workshop will give you the confidence and the knowledge to draw birds.
As a professional wildlife artist, Veronica strives to illustrate the beauty and excitement of birds. Being a birder herself, Veronica is captivated by all things birds; the colors, shapes, attitudes and the environments of birds. Painting only wildlife she has seen, Veronica has a personal connection to her work. She intends to create work that opens discussions about nature and conservation. Using a variety of mediums, Veronica’s best work comes from sketches from the field. She never goes anywhere without her binoculars and sketchbook. |
Sketching in the Wild
Presented by Kelly Riccetti
Date: Wednesday, May 14 Time: 12-3 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 15 In this workshop, you'll be introduced to the basics of field sketching and nature journaling. You will learn to observe the natural world by slowing down and focusing on what you see. By combining your observation skills with a few simple drawing techniques, you will be able to go outside and start sketching the in the wild with confidence! Kelly Riccetti is a lifelong artist and student of nature. She writes the birding and nature blog "Red and the Peanut" where she shares her nature research, photographs, and bird paintings. She also teaches field sketching and watercolor painting classes with an emphasis on nature…and fun! She can often be found hiking the banks of the Little Miami River in Cincinnati, Ohio searching out birds, wildflowers, insects, and turtles. |
Painting in the WildPresented by Kelly Riccetti
Date: Thursday, May 15 Time: 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 15 Learn basic watercolor skills to spark your creativity and start living an art-filled life! Step-by-step exercises will help you learn to paint flowers, trees, and, of course, BIRDS! Use your new painting skills to go outside and observe nature with an artist’s eye. No experience necessary. All supplies provided.
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The Expressive Palette of Birds: How to Understand the Language of Color
Presented by Vern Bialecki
Date: Thursday, May 15 Time: 12-3 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 15 Color is a fundamental tool in bird watching. Every bird has a story behind the colors they wear. Let’s break down color theory and how we can use color to better produce works of bird art. Between the vibrant yellows of warblers or the iridescence of hummingbirds, we have a lot of eye-catching subjects to talk about. This workshop will demonstrate the variety of techniques to use color in building a work of art. We will practice exercises in discussing colors, mixing colors and pairing colors. Whether you are a beginner birder or painter, all are welcome. Bring any tools you like to color with, (paper/canvas paper is recommended due to the nature of the exercises).
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The Art of Field Sketching: Forming an Intimate Bond with Birds as Artists
Presented by Anna Rose
Date: Friday, May 16, and Saturday, May 17 Time: Friday 8 a.m.-12 p.m., Saturday 12-3 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Nature Center Fee: $55 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 15 How connected and familiar are you with the birds at the Biggest Week? Do you know all their field marks by heart? Could you sketch that mystery warbler if it popped out at you on the boardwalk? Whether you are looking for a creative outlet, hoping to improve your observational skills, or wishing to develop a more Zen approach to birding, you will not be disappointed with this beginner’s guide to field sketching birds. Birds are all around us, but their lives are so fast-paced and intimate we need a way to preserve their features, behaviors, environment, and quirks in a glance. In learning the Art of Field Sketching, we will learn how to observe birds as artists, break down how to sketch birds, and practice our skills through a few short field sketching examples. You only need to bring three things with you: your favorite sketching pad, a drawing utensil of your choice (I recommend pens or pencils), and the confidence to try something new!
Anna Rose has always found herself called to the study of both art and science. She is a graduate student in the Forest Bird and Landscape Ecology Lab at the Ohio State University. She is pursuing her Master’s through exploring the impacts of ticks on nesting birds in southeastern Ohio Appalachian forests with species including Wood Thrush, Ovenbird, Hooded Warbler, and Kentucky Warbler. Outside graduate school, she is also an accomplished artist. Anna was named the World Migratory Bird Day Artist in 2024 and has traveled cross-country to display her wildlife art. Her travels have allowed her to build her expertise as a skillful Plein Aire landscape and field artist. She has been involved in Ohio bird conservation since a young age as a board member of the Ohio Bluebird Society, falcon handler at the Ohio School of Falconry, and a festival guide for the Biggest Week in American Birding. It is Anna’s dream to find an avenue to combine her passion for research, conservation, and art in a career where she can interact with birds and people every day. |
Secrets of the Secretive Marshbirds
Presented by Dr. Auriel Fournier
Date: Friday, May 9 Time: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 A remarkable number of secrets remain in wetland birds, and Auriel has had the joy of getting to discover some of them over the past 10+ years of working with rails and other secretive marshbirds. In her talk she will share about the natural history and biology of rails, gallinules and bitterns, from their breeding ecology and migration to how they respond to wetland management. Auriel Fournier is an Associate Research Scientist with the Illinois Natural History Survey and the Director of the Forbes Biological Station, a part of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Auriel’s work focuses on the science, management and conservation of wetland birds and wetlands. Auriel completed her PhD in 2017 as a part of the Arkansas Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at the University of Arkansas. She then joined the Gulf of Mexico Avian Monitoring Network as a postdoc at Mississippi State University before starting at the Forbes Biological Station in 2019.
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Birding Under the Influence
Presented by Dorian Anderson
Date: Saturday, May 10 Time: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 On January 1st, 2014, Dorian Anderson boarded his bicycle for the adventure of a lifetime. His two-wheeled journey was an eco-friendly twist on the Big Year, a project during which a birdwatcher tries to observe as many species as possible during a calendar year. While his predecessors utilized cars, planes, and boats, Anderson’s goal was to replicate their transcontinental travels without the use of petroleum, a herculean challenge no one before him had accepted. He ultimately survived subzero temperatures, drifting snow, gusting winds, lightning storms, mountainous ascents, dog attacks, crumbling roads, and several accidents. By December 31, he’d amassed 618 bird species across 18,000 miles of riding, totals no one imagined possible when he set off with zero cycling experience. Anderson will speak about the genesis of his bike-birding project, provide a thrilling recount of his travels, highlight the birds he saw, and reveal how his adventure changed his life. His personality and enthusiasm are infectious, and his tales of birding, cycling, and self-discovery will inspire others to venture into the outdoors, take note of the birds around them, and make positive changes in their own lives. Dorian started birding in his Philadelphia backyard at age seven. His interest spread to the Jersey Shore during his preteen years, and he attended several of Victor Emanuel’s youth birding camps as a teenager. He envisioned himself as an ornithologist until his educational rise and coincident alcoholism extinguished his birding desire. With his focus split between molecular biology and drinking through his twenties, his childhood passion laid comatose, rediscovered only when he got sober at age thirty. |
Despite constant blackout drinking and much coincident drug abuse, Dorian received his B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Stanford, did predoctoral biomedical research at Harvard, and earned his Ph.D. in Developmental Genetics and Molecular Cell Biology from NYU. After getting sober, he spent three years as a Postdoctoral Fellow in Molecular Neuroscience at Massachusetts General Hospital before resigning academia and undertaking his Biking for Birds project. That odyssey, the first nationwide bicycle Big Year, carried him 18,000 miles through 28 states in 2014.
Momentum from that life-changing pivot opened doors in public speaking and travel writing. He consulted for the National Audubon Society in Colombia, and he currently guides domestic and international tours for Tropical Birding. He is an avid bird photographer and has just published his memoir, Birding Under the Influence: Cycling across America in Search of Birds and Recovery. It is a thrill-packed account of his adventure and an honest view of the alcoholism and drug abuse which preceded his departure.
Momentum from that life-changing pivot opened doors in public speaking and travel writing. He consulted for the National Audubon Society in Colombia, and he currently guides domestic and international tours for Tropical Birding. He is an avid bird photographer and has just published his memoir, Birding Under the Influence: Cycling across America in Search of Birds and Recovery. It is a thrill-packed account of his adventure and an honest view of the alcoholism and drug abuse which preceded his departure.
Beginner to Beginners: Guide to Gull Joy
How to not be Afraid of Primaries and Greater Coverts
Presented by Jason Hall
Date: Sunday, May 11 Time: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 There are so many different ways one can come to the point where you need to identify a gull. It can be scary, intimidating, frustrating, and seemingly futile at many different points. As an enthusiastic beginner myself, having found the state first Glaucous-winged Gull in Pennsylvania in Feb 2022, my gull journey started off at arguably peak birding. Having only entry level skills at that moment, I had to come down off that high and settle into enjoying learning more about gulls. Join me as we talk though finding joy in that process and getting started on your own gull-filled journey. |
Jason Hall got pulled into birding on the wings and bubbly mannerisms of a Tufted Titmouse as part of a high school environmental science course outside of Philadelphia. Over the years, he’s grown that passion into founding the non-profit In Color Birding Club which focuses on providing a safe and joyful on-ramp to birding for historically marginalized communities. As founder and president of ICBC, Jason works with his board members to consistently expand access to birding and the outdoors to communities in and around Philadelphia. This includes partnering with many local organizations to offer bird outings, bus sponsorships for public schools in Philly, teacher school supply scholarships, and food drives. ICBC believes that it’s important to address the community's needs in ways that are meaningful and sustainable. Jason works as a Director of Vaccines in the pharmaceutical industry and lives in Montgomery County, PA.
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Bird Banding: An Unfolding Story of Bird Conservation
Presented by Ryan Jacob
Date: Monday, May 12 Time: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Along with hosting The Biggest Week In American Birding - the largest birding festival in North America - Black Swamp Bird Observatory also operates one of the largest songbird banding stations on the continent. Even during The Biggest Week, BSBO's research team is out every morning banding birds, collecting data on newly arrived migrants and those still lingering in the area. So what does bird banding tell us? How does this simple tool bring us closer to understanding the lives of birds? Join BSBO's Banding Projects Director, Ryan Jacob, for a glimpse into BSBO's research and how banding continues to shape the future of bird conservation. Ryan is a Toledo, Ohio native who discovered his passion for birds while working as a naturalist for the state parks and during his many seasons at the Black Swamp Bird Observatory (BSBO) Navarre Marsh banding station. With a background in philosophy and years of travel across North America, he not only has a wide knowledge of birds and the outdoors, but an understanding and appreciation for the natural world at large. Ryan manages BSBO’s Navarre Marsh passerine banding research station, working with a team of volunteers and seasonal staff to operate this constant-effort mist netting operation during spring and fall migration. He also coordinates BSBO’s Motus and radio telemetry work, and operates BSBO’s MAPS (Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship) stations. Ryan is a North American Banding Council certified bander and trainer. |
Amphibians and Reptiles of Magee Marsh
Presented by Andy Avram
Date: Tuesday, May 13 Time: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 We all come to The Biggest Week with the intention of looking up, but there is a whole world of interesting creatures if we also look down! Abundant populations of amphibians and reptiles inhabit the marshes of western Lake Erie and surrounding environs. Festival road signs even warn us to be alert for these species crossing the roads. From the imperiled Eastern Fox Snake and Blanding’s Turtle to the hyper-abundant Northern Leopard Frog and Eastern Garter Snake we will learn about the amazing amphibians and reptiles you might observe during the festival. Andy has had a lifelong interest in nature, especially observing wildlife in their native habitats. This led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in wildlife management from The Ohio State University and his master’s degree in biology from Miami University. These days he works as an interpretive naturalist at Geauga Park District in northeastern Ohio, where he gives nature presentations, leads nature outings, and hikes. With a strong interest in amphibians and reptiles, he has assisted in research projects on Lake Erie Water Snakes, Spotted Turtles, Smooth Green Snakes, and more.
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The ins and outs of Flycatcher Identification
Presented by Cin-Ty Lee and Andrew Birch
Date: Wednesday, May 14 Time: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Flycatchers are tough to identify. In this workshop, you will learn how to look and listen to a flycatcher. Emphasis will be on holistic identification, in which identification is based on a combination of structural features, color contrasts, and other clues, such as migration timing, habitat, and vocalizations. This workshop will make flycatchers more accessible to beginners but will also introduce novel approaches in field identification for expert birders. Cin-Ty Lee has been birding for 40 years. Together with Andrew Birch, he is the coauthor of numerous advanced identification articles and the recent Princeton Field Guide to North American Flycatchers. Andy is a lifelong birder that originally hails from the UK. He has been living in Los Angeles for the past 30 years. He has illustrated numerous identification articles and books both in North America and Europe. They have recently completed work on Flycatchers of North America by Princeton University Press. Vol. 1 empidonax and Pewees was published last year and Vol. 2 myiarchus and Kingbirds was published in April 2024. |
Identifying and Appreciating Spring Warblers
Presented by Kenn Kaufman
Date: Thursday, May 15 Time: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 Members of the American warbler family can be notoriously confusing in fall plumage. But they should always be easy to identify in spring, right? Well, not always. Delightful and colorful as they are in spring, warblers can still pose some challenges. In this talk, Kenn will discuss various ways of looking at (and listening to) members of this varied group, to consider the unique personality of each species beyond its mere collection of field marks. He’ll attempt to show how the more we understand these birds, the more enjoyable they become. |
My Year Behind the Scope, a Digiscoping Big Year
Presented by Jeff Bouton
Date: Friday, May 16 Time: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 80 In 2023, Jeff unwittingly set a world record by digiscoping over 1,000 species of birds in a single year while attending birding events around the globe. He began keeping a digiscoping year list during the pandemic but had no intent of setting any records. However, the birding festival circuit provides fantastic opportunities for species diversity and by birding each morning at various festivals the list of birds seen and photographed through the spotting scope grew. On May 4th, Jeff digiscoped his 519th bird species for the year, an American Woodcock at roadside here at the Biggest Week in American Birding! This broke his past record year, and he knew that 2023 was a different year. Come listen to the tale of this whirlwind global adventure swinging a spotting scope and an iPhone at birding events resulting in a record 1,050 bird species digiscoped! Jeff has worked in the birding community for 40 years, beginning as a seasonal field researcher working primarily with raptors and passerines. Later, he worked as a professional tour guide living in Alaska for 7 years, and finally as an optics manufacturer representative to the birding and nature markets for the past 20 years. In his current position with Kowa Sporting Optics, Jeff travels the country guiding and speaking on birding, optics and digiscoping at numerous birding events. Over the years he has written numerous articles in Wild Bird, Birder's World, Bird Watchers Digest plus his digiscoped images have been published in all of these as well as Outdoor Photographer, Birding Business, Birding, and others.
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Making Bird Cartoons From Live Bird Models
Presented by Rosemary Mosco and Charlotte Belland
Date: Saturday, May 17 Time: 12-3:30 p.m. Location: Maumee Bay Lodge, Starboard Navigator Room Fee: $10 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: * Please note that this workshop is 12-3:30 p.m.* Enhance your nature observations and learn to draw funny bird cartoons based on live models! Join Bird and Moon cartoonist Rosemary Mosco for the basics of cartooning, then get tips on sketching birds from CCAD Chair of Animation Charlotte Belland while you draw live birds from the Ohio School of Falconry. No artistic skill required. Rosemary Mosco is an author, illustrator, and speaker whose work connects people with the natural world. She’s written and drawn for The New York Times, Audubon, and more, and makes a regular comic strip in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Living Bird magazine. She creates acclaimed science books for kids and adults and the nature comic Bird and Moon, which won the National Cartoonists Society’s award for Best Online Short Form Comic.
Charlotte Belland is an illustrator of animals. Her work explores the blending of anatomical accuracy and the beauty of animals with a little sparkle of mischief; the way an animal tilts its head, focuses its eyes, or how it leans into the pose. She is the Chair of the Animation Department at the Columbus College of Art and Design and a Professor of Drawing for Animation. Her daily drawing practice includes a routine post to Instagram. For over 10 years, Charlotte has posted a daily animal drawing under the name bellandpixel. |
Digiscoping
Presented by Jeff Bouton
Date: May 10, 17 Time: 8:00 - 10:30 a.m. Location: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area Parking Lot - West End Fee: $30 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 12 Do you struggle with digiscoping? Jeff Bouton, with Kowa Sporting Optics has been digiscoping for decades and has published numerous images in various birding publications and set a world record, digiscoping 1,050 bird species in a single year! Over the past 2 decades of digiscoping Jeff has made every mistake you can and has learned from each and wants to share what he’s learned with you. Spotting scope photography offers equivalent focal lengths reaching over 5,000 mm lens which is advantageous and challenging at the same time. Join this event and learn to take better images with your smartphone through a spotting scope. Whether you are looking for high-quality publishable images or just want to get better documentation of your daily sightings, Jeff will share key field craft techniques to avoid digiscoping pitfalls.
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Intro to Warbler Identification
Presented by Tom Stephenson
Date: May 12 Time: 8:00 - 10:30 a.m. Location: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area Parking Lot - West End Fee: $30 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 12 Join us in a workshop to discover and study our beautiful warblers (and any other species we find!)
We'll talk about what to look for when we're first identifying warblers, and equally importantly: what to study after we've identified them. These skills are also the best ways to approach watching all of the beautiful species we find at The Biggest Week. |
Identifying Warblers in the Field
Presented by Tom Stephenson
Date: May 13 Time: 8:00 - 10:30 a.m. Location: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area Parking Lot - West End Fee: $30 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 12 During this workshop we'll discuss the best ways to identify the more challenging warblers and other species we encounter. We'll go over all of the key diagnostic ID points and discuss how these separate them from any possible similar species. We'll also spend time talking about vocalizations and cover a few important strategies for studying and identifying the songs and calls we hear.
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Talking Turkeys, Chatty Chats, and Warbling Warblers with Scott Whittle
Presented by Scott Whittle
Date: May 16 Time: 8:00 - 10:30 a.m. Location: Magee Marsh Wildlife Area Parking Lot - West End Fee: $30 Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 12 For many people bird songs are lovely gobbledygook-a bunch of complicated sounds that don't mean much.
To the trained listener, however, those sounds become a chorus of information, with each bird calling out its name and desires. In an easy to follow lesson, Scott will help you train your ears to transform nonsense into knowledge and sqwaks into sightings. Open to all levels, from novice to old salt. |
Bird ThermoregulationPresented by Sophie Black
Date: Saturday, May 10 Time: 1-1:45 p.m. Location: Magee Marsh Visitor Center, Decoy Room Fee: $10 donated to the Ohio Young Birders Club Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 30 Sophie will explore how birds thermoregulate, why they thermoregulate, and temperate regulations at the different stages of life. |
Hog Island Audubon Camp: Costa Rica
Presented by Matthew Rice
Date: Saturday, May 10 Time: 2-2:45 p.m. Location: Magee Marsh Visitor Center, Decoy Room Fee: $10 donated to the Ohio Young Birders Club Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 30 Matthew will be discussing his birding experiences in Costa Rica while attending a Hog Island Audubon Camp. |
International Conference for Women Birders: Uganda
Presented by Mason Cunningham
Date: Sunday, May 11 Time: 1-1:45 p.m. Location: Magee Marsh Visitor Center, Decoy Room Fee: $10 donated to the Ohio Young Birders Club Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 30 In December of 2023 I was able to travel with my mom and sister to Uganda. We attended the International Conference for Women Birders, which was a very powerful and inspirational event. Afterwards I was lucky to get to explore the beautiful country of Uganda and photograph many different birds and mammals. It was an experience I will never forget! |
Treasure Map to the Five Rarest Birds in the US
Presented by Killian Sullivan
Date: Sunday, May 11 Time: 2-2:45 p.m. Location: Magee Marsh Visitor Center, Decoy Room Fee: $10 donated to the Ohio Young Birders Club Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 30 As a twelve-year-old birder, it feels like I have an eternity to see the birds of North America. Yet the reality is that many bird populations are declining, making the quest to see them more urgent. When I first read Joe Lowe’s article, 'The Five Rarest Birds of the Continental U.S.,' it felt like I had found a treasure map guiding me toward future adventures and amazing birds. In this talk, I will explore these species, their challenges, conservation efforts, and my personal journeys to see each one. |
Future of the Piping Plover
Presented by Joel Stiver
Date: Saturday, May 17 Time: 1-1:45 p.m. Location: Magee Marsh Visitor Center, Decoy Room Fee: $10 donated to the Ohio Young Birders Club Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 30 A comeback in the making for decades, hard-working conservation teams and organizations have finally turned the Piping Plover’s future around for the better. After trial and error, these teams and partnerships have narrowed down the most effective methods and are putting them in use today. While still facing many challenges in this harsh world, the Piping Plover is writing a success story that will be remembered for generations. |
Avian adaptations
Presented by Skylar Pasatta
Date: Saturday, May 17 Time: 2-2:45 p.m. Location: Magee Marsh Visitor Center, Decoy Room Fee: $10 donated to the Ohio Young Birders Club Registration Required: Yes Capacity: 30 From razor sharp talons to slender, probing beaks, the tools that birds have at their disposal are complex, captivating, and a little odd. For example, looking closely at the beak reveals how it reflects a bird’s environment, feeding habits, and evolutionary strategies. In addition, examining the diverse adaptations of the feet shows how these remarkable structures help birds thrive in their environments. Whether you’re a full-time bird nerd or simply curious about nature, anyone can appreciate these avian features. |
Birds and Photography in VietnamPresented by Jamie Cunningham with Sabrewing Nature Tours
Date: May 9 Time: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: FREE with Registration Registration Required: Yes Explore the forests, mountains and rivers of Vietnam and find out why this destination should be a must see on your travel list! Join Sabrewing Nature Tours guide Jamie Cunningham as she shares all that Vietnam has to offer!
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Caribbean BirdingPresented by Gabriel Lugo with Wildside Nature Tours
Date: May 11 Time: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: FREE with Registration Registration Required: Yes Join Gabriel Lugo, a senior birding guide for Wildside Nature Tours, to learn all about seeking Caribbean endemics and specialties in Cuba, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Puerto Rico.
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Darién: A Panama Birding AdventurePresented by Carlos Bethancourt with Canopy Family
Date: May 13 Time: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: FREE with Registration Registration Required: Yes Darién, in far eastern Panama, has long been known to avid birders as an impenetrable haven for rare species. In recent years, this wild and biodiverse region has blossomed into a must-see destination of Central American birding, famous for its localized specialties, South American rarities, and reliable sightings of Harpy and Crested Eagles! Join Carlos Bethancourt, lead guide at the Canopy Family, in-depth study of the region’s most sought-after birds, pristine lowland ecosystems, and rich indigenous culture of this remarkable region.
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Birding in Ecuador - From Hummingbirds to CondorsPresented by Paul Laurent with Ventures Birding Tours
Date: May 15 Time: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: FREE with Registration Registration Required: Yes Ecuador is a must visit place for birding. With over 1,600 species of birds, including 132 hummingbirds, this stunning and diverse country offers incredible opportunities to see beautiful birds as well as other remarkable wildlife. The massive Andes Mountains that bisect the country create a wide variety of ecosystems that each have their own wildlife, from the dense Amazon rainforests to the Paramo atop soaring peaks, home to the massive Andean Condor. You'll get far more than just hundreds of new species for your life list. Travel gives you a wider perspective of the world, and seeing some of your backyard birds when you're 3,000 miles from home gives a very different perspective on the birds we love.
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The VENT Commitment to Excellence & The Exciting Trifecta of Seasonal Minnesota ToursPresented by Erik Bruhnke with Victor Emanuel Nature Tours
Date: May 17 Time: 10:00 - 11:00 a.m. Location: Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge Fee: FREE with Registration Registration Required: Yes Founded in 1976, Victor Emanuel Nature Tours (VENT) is among the most respected birding and nature tourism companies in the world. VENT has played a pioneer role in helping develop ecotourism, and offers more than 150 departures to more than 100 destinations worldwide annually. Come join VENT tour leader Erik Bruhnke as he talks about the VENT difference and commitment to excellence.
Erik will briefly cover the tours he leads annually, and in greater detail will showcase the array of highlights from the now three VENT tours he proudly leads out of his hometown of Duluth, Minnesota. Between VENT’s long-renowned Winter Minnesota Tour, the warbler-filled (and so much more) Minnesota's Northwoods Tour in the Spring, and the new and magical Fall Migration tour, each VENT birding experience out of Duluth hosts memorable birding experiences topped with scenic lodging and spectacular taste-of-the-area cuisine. The seasonal birding charm out of Duluth is distinct and exciting for locals and visiting birders alike. This presentation is not to be missed! |