Workshops

Saturday, September 23, 2023
view speaker bios

10:30 am to 11:30 am
Morning Workshop
alternative to field trip
Eastern Bluebirds: An Outreach Model
Sandy Morrissey from Bronx River-Sound Shore Audubon will offer this workshop to show her Audubon chapter’s success in increasing the bluebird population by engaging many different people in their bluebird box project over more than 25 years in Westchester County. Get proven ideas for expanding a bluebird box project/trail and increasing your club/chapter visibility.

1:00 pm to 2:30 pm
Workshop Keynote: Tom Stephenson

Learning Bird Sounds
Identifying the warblers and other species singing in the field is one of the most enjoyable and satisfying aspects of birding. However, trying to learn and remember the important ID points of bird vocalizations can be difficult and sometimes very frustrating. This workshop will cover many new techniques that make it easier to identify singing birds. Based on the system outlined in The Warbler Guide, the lecture will also explain how understanding a song’s structure, using objective, easy-to-hear song qualities, can speed up the identification process and make separating similar-sounding species much easier. Learning and remembering songs is another important skill for birders. The workshop will also cover the science of memory and learning, and outline a simple, 3-step system that works very effectively for memorizing bird vocalizations and anything else you’d like to remember!

2:45 pm to 3:30 pm
Short Workshop Sessions

(select one)

Birding Skills

Seawatching on Long Island
Shai Mitra, Ph.D.
Many species of oceanic birds can be seen from shore on Long Island. This talk will focus on the status and identification of shearwaters, storm-petrels, jaegers. alcids, and others, and also on when, where, and under which conditions each is most likely to be encountered.

eBirding & Atlasing Tutorial
Julie Hart & Jared Feura
Get one-on-one help with using eBird. Learn how to get started with eBird, make a checklist and accept and share checklists.  Bring all your eBird questions. Then learn how to use eBird to participate in the NYS Breeding Bird Atlas. Come get all your atlasing questions answered. Bring your preferred eBirding device and we’ll also help you make a personalized list of breeding bird targets for the final year of the Atlas.
 

Photography Skills

Digiscoping Tips from Zeiss

Bill Graham
Zeiss Field Naturalist Bill Graham will present an introduction to digiscoping. In this program he will cover basic equipment and techniques necessary to capture high-quality images with a smart phone or mirrorless camera through a spotting scope. He will also present sample images and answer any questions participants may have.

Improving Your Bird Photography
Tom Warren & Joe Walston
Photography continues to evolve as a tool that can be used to tell the story of birds – their beauty, their behavior and their ability to adapt. But sometimes learning the new technology can seem daunting. Tom will share a simplified approach to navigating today’s camera options and settings, while sharing some of his favorite bird photography and Joe will talk about how his transition to the latest “mirrorless” technology has enhanced his work in conservation.

Arts

Writing Nature

Kathleen Williamson
This workshop is for novices and experienced writers alike. Using a teaching method of writing in close imitation, participants will be guided by the best writers in poetry and prose. Class will be held outdoors in a courtyard with trees and on a long covered patio in case of bad weather.

Advocacy

Birds & Windows
Anikó Tótha, American Bird Conservancy
Each year up to 1 billion birds die after hitting glass surfaces in the United States. Fortunately there are many things we can do to reduce glass collision mortality, from fixing our own windows to advocating for bird-friendly policies in our communities. In this workshop we will discuss why birds collide with windows, which collision prevention options work best, and opportunities to help advocate for safer buildings in your community.