The New School of Birding, Module 3: The Wonders of Migration
We are pleased to announce our third module of the New School of Birding, taught by expert bird nerds Dan van den Broek and Candace Larson.
Birds are inextricably tied to the transformations of the season. Every year, beginning in early spring, some of the most impressive long-distance migrants start their journey from warm winter homes to food-rich breeding destinations, a feat that will be repeated a few months later in reverse! Even our own gorgeous and diminutive Rufous Hummingbird has been known to travel over 4000 miles from its winter retreat in Mexico to breeding grounds in Alaska. Along the way, migrating birds are faced with vast expanses of open ocean, towering mountain ranges and an array of natural and human-created hazards. Still, they are able to repeat this feat, year after year, pinpointing their exact destination with astonishing precision.
In this module, we hope to raise your awareness of the subtle cues of nature, and bring you into closer understanding of the lives of our feathered neighbors. We’ll explore how and why birds migrate, delving into the mysteries of how birds stay on course, how scientists measure migration, the amazing journeys of long-distance migrants, and much more. Along the way, we’ll practice our birding skills in the field, with a focus on the diversity and abundance of spring migrants in our region.
The New School of Birding is designed to build both birding skills and a deeper understanding of the ecology and biology of the birds all around us. This exciting, interactive module includes three virtual class sessions and three field trips, focusing on bird biology and life history, plus tips, tricks, and practice with field identification, all provided through a combination of lecture, online quizzes, helpful handouts, live interaction with your instructors, and extensive field time.
We hope you’ll join us on this exciting journey!