Understanding Bird Family Groups
​for Better Bird Identification 

Ducks, hawks, shorebirds, herons... Many groups of birds have easily recognizable shapes. But what about the songbirds? This large group of birds comprises more than half of all bird species and ranges widely in size and shape; from the enormous Common Raven, to the minute Golden-crowned Kinglet. With a group so big, knowing what family to look in is often the first step to identification. In this workshop the BSBO team will breakdown the families that make up the "songbirds," highlighting the features and behaviors that make a warbler a warbler, a flycatcher a flycatcher, and many more!        

With a group so big, knowing what family to look in is often the first step to identification. In this workshop the BSBO team will breakdown the families that make up the "songbirds," highlighting the features and behaviors that make a warbler a warbler, a flycatcher a flycatcher, and many more!  ​

Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Time: 07:00 PM EST
Duration: 45 mins with a 15 min Q&A

March

Opposing Threats for a Salty Sparrow:
​Understanding Seaside Sparrow Nest-predation
​in the Face of Climate Change with Corina Newsome

Bird species native to Georgia’s coastal marshes are experiencing rapid changes to their habitat, specifically in the form of sea level rise. In Seaside Sparrows, sea level rise directly threatens breeding success through nest flooding. 

​​This threat is compounded by increased exposure to predators when they elevate their nests to avoid future flooding. Corina will share her recent findings regarding the threat of nest predation, along with interesting and unexpected footage from the secret lives of Seaside Sparrows.

Date: Saturday, March 6, 2021
Time: 07:00 PM EST
Duration: 45 min with a 15 min Q&A

About Corina

Corina Newsome is the Community Engagement Manager for Georgia Audubon and a biology Master’s student at Georgia Southern University. Corina, who began in the field of wildlife conservation as a zookeeper, currently conducts research to conserve the MacGillivray's Seaside Sparrow and connects people with birds across the state of Georgia. Having experienced the hurdles faced by people of color interested in wildlife careers, she has founded several programs to encourage high school students from underrepresented demographics to consider careers in wildlife sciences. Corina’s mission is to center the perspectives and leadership of historically oppressed communities in wildlife conservation, environmental education, and exploration of the natural world.  

Black & Brown Faces in America's Wild Places with Dudley Edmondson

Join us for a special presentation and conversation with world-renowned photographer, Dudley Edmondson. Dudley will share his journey to creating his beautiful and highly acclaimed book, Black and Brown Faces In America's Wild Places, his experiences in the field, and the inspirational stories of the individuals whose work he featured in his book. 

Date: Saturday, October 10
Time: 07:00 PM EDT
Duration: 45 mins with a 15 min Q&A

About Dudley

​Dudley Edmondson is an author, public speaker, and filmmaker whose passion is nature and getting People of Color outdoors.​

Dudley has considered himself a nature advocate ever since he discovered its ability to heal the mind and body as a young boy. ​

Mr. Edmondson enjoys several outdoor recreational activities including; birdwatching, mountain and fat biking, fly fishing, trail running, and more. ​

​Dudley has been invited into communities across the country to help get urban youth and youth of color into the outdoors. He also spends a great deal of his personal time working with youth in his community through local youth serving agencies.  He just really enjoys inspiring them.

Registration Closed

Registration Closed

January 2021

Winter Finches: Understanding, Identifying, and Attracting these Nomads from the North

Presented by Kenn Kaufman

In certain years, birds referred to as "Winter Finches" leave their northern territories and move south, sometimes in big numbers. If the last few weeks are any indication, it looks like this could be one of those years!

Internationally renowned bird expert, Kenn Kaufman, will help us better understand the lifestyles of feathered nomads like Pine Siskins, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Evening & Pine Grosbeaks, Redpolls, Purple Finches, and Crossbills. Kenn will share insight into why they're here in big numbers in some years and absent in others. He'll also provide some tips for identifying these wonderful birds. Kimberly Kaufman will join the conversation to share some tips for attracting winter finches to your feeders.

Date: Tuesday, November 17
Time: 07:00 PM EST
​Duration: 45 min with a 15 Q&A

About Kenn

A lifelong naturalist, Kenn Kaufman did not really focus on birds until the age of six, but since then he has tried to make up for lost time, pursuing birds in all fifty states and on all seven continents. Now working as a freelance editor, writer, and book producer, he and his wife Kim make their home in Oak Harbor, Ohio.

​Kenn is a field editor for Audubon magazine, and writes a regular column for Birder’s World magazine. Most of his energy currently goes into book projects, including his own field guide series, Kaufman Field Guides, published by Houghton Mifflin Company of Boston. This series now includes volumes on North American birds, butterflies, mammals, insects, a Field Guide to Advanced Birding, and a regional guide to Nature of New England and Field Guide to the Nature of the Midwest, which was published in April 2015. In spring 2005, Kaufman Field Guides published the first Spanish-language guide to North American birds. Kenn’s other books include Lives of North American Birds, Kingbird Highway, and Flights Against the Sunset. His latest book, A Season on the Wind: Inside the World of Spring Migration, was published in spring 2019. He has also written scores of magazine articles and columns on I.D. topics, and has taught I.D. workshops all over the U.S. and Canada. To learn more about the Kaufman Field Guide series, click here.

Optics 101: Purchasing, Adjusting, and Caring for Optics 

While it's possible to enjoy birds without binoculars, having good optics can make all the difference in the world. Buying binoculars can be overwhelming and intimidating, but we can help! In his workshop, BSBO Outreach Director, Jason Guerard, will cover all the basics to help you better understand this important bird observation tool, and help you know what to look for to find the binocular that's right for you! 

Date: Tuesday, December 8
Time: 07:00 PM EST
Duration: 45 mins with a 15 min Q&A

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Woodpeckers of the Midwest: Identifying and Attracting the Hammerheads with the Staff of BSBO

Observant, bold, and personable, woodpeckers are one of the first group of birds to enter our lives and inhabit our yards. Woodpeckers often begin our journey into bird identification with their recognizable shape and behavior, and their resident nature keeps them close to our homes for year-round observation (sometimes a little too close!)

In this workshop we'll explore the woodpeckers that call the Midwest home, offering identification tips, clarification on some of those odd names, and ways to attract these charismatic birds to your yard. And if home repair isn't in your budget, we'll offer some advice for keeping these carpenters away from your siding! 

Date: Tuesday, December 22
Time: 07:00 PM EST
Duration: 45 mins with a 15 min Q&A

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Family Matters: The First Step in Bird Identification
​with the Staff of BSBO

Date: Tuesday, January 12, 2021
Time: 07:00 PM EST
Duration: 45 mins with a 15 min Q&A

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The Place to Be! Winter Birding Spots in Ohio
​with the Staff of BSBO

Date: Tuesday, January 26, 2021
Time: 07:00 PM EST
Duration: 45 mins with a 15 min Q&A

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