Advanced Bird Banding Class

2009

Environmental Studies on the Piedmont

& The Institute for Bird Populations

 

            Thank you for your interest in our Advanced Bird Banding Class instructed by the Institute for Bird Populations and hosted by Environmental Studies on the Piedmont (ES).    ES is located five miles from Warrenton, Virginia in the rolling hills of the Northern Piedmont.  Our field station combines rich habitat diversity with easy accessibility and comfortable accommodations.  This year the advanced banding class will be held from Wednesday, October 7^th through Sunday, October 11^th.    Minimum class size will be six students and the maximum will be eight – so register early to ensure you have a spot!  The fee of $650 will include all class materials, and instructors’ fees.  Accommodations and lunch are available on site, see below.

 

 

ADVANCED BANDING CLASSES

            The four-day advanced classes are designed for experienced banders who wish to improve their sexing and ageing skills. The class will focus on understanding and identifying the differences between specific adult age classes using the Identification Guide to North American Birds by Peter Pyle. We will also spend some time, as needed, addressing other advanced skills, such as skulling, refining the scoring of various characteristics, and interpreting these characteristics for age and sex determinations. To visualize differences between adult ages, we will consult...

museum specimens

photographs and power point slides

birds we catch during the netting sessions

 

Four mornings are spent at the nets working with live birds. During four afternoon or evening lecture/discussion sessions, we will review molt strategies and plumage sequences (focusing on unusual strategies such as woodpeckers); address how to identify molt limits and other ageing cues using the visual materials as aids; and discuss approaches to extracting the information in the Pyle Guide for determining adult ages.

Prerequisites for the advanced classes:

Participants in the advanced classes should...

be able to handle and set up mist nets,

be able to extract birds from mist nets, and

have basic familiarity with ageing hatch-year versus after-hatch-year birds.

Participants must also bring their own copy of the Identification Guide to North American Birds, Part 1, by Peter Pyle, published in 1997 by Slate Creek Press.

 

 

WHAT TO EXPECT  

            The advanced class begins at 3:00pm Wednesday, October 7^th and ends at noon on Sunday, October 11th.  Class starts before sunrise every morning and 5-6 hours are spent in the field.  There is a 30-60 minute lunch break and then 2-3 hours of classroom instruction (usually with after class “homework”).  Visit The Institute for Bird Populations website, www.birdpop.org for more details on course material. The weather in early October can be unpredictable, but expect mild weather (lows in the 50-60’s and highs in the 60-70’s) with showers or thunderstorms possible daily.  Insects are usually not bad at this time of year, but expect ticks, red bugs “aka chiggers”, mosquitoes and deer flies.  Snakes and spiders are also common occurrences.   Appropriate field attire is required. There will be a lot of new information and experiences thrown at each student, but if you are up for a wonderful challenge and experience then this is the class to take. 

 

 

FACILITIES & LODGING OPTIONS

            Classroom activities will be held in the field with instructional time held in our historical farm house.  On-site lodging will be provided in the farm house for $15/night. We have 4 dormitory style bedrooms, with three single beds in each room and a shared bath.  The kitchen is available for you to fix your own breakfast and dinner, although Warrenton is a quick five minute trip where you can find plenty of restaurants.  We are happy to supply lunches at a nominal charge ($6 a day). Students interested in staying offsite will need to make their own arrangements. The nearest recommended national chain hotels are 5 minutes away in Warrenton. 

 

 

REGISTERING FOR THE CLASS

            To register for the class please complete and mail a copy of the Registration Form with deposit/payment to Environmental Studies on the Piedmont, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA 20187.

             Make checks or money orders payable to Environmental Studies on the Piedmont.   A 50% deposit is required to reserve a seat in the class.  Full payment is due at or before the beginning of the class! 

Deposit is 100% refundable if you cancel 30 prior to the start date of the class.

 Deposit is non-refundable if you cancel for any reason after 30 days prior to the start of the class.

Before making plane reservations, please contact the field station to ensure no schedule changes have been made.

             Additional information contact Cindy Shea at: 540-349-3331. 

 

 

Registration Form

MAPS Advanced Bird Banding Class

Institute for Bird Populations/Environmental Studies on the Piedmont

 

Advanced Class:____ $650  (Wed., October 7^th through Sun., October 11^th)

 

NAME/JOB TITLE:_____________________________________________________________

ORGANIZATION:______________________________________________________________

PREFERRED MAILING ADDRESS:_______________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

DAYTIME PHONE:_____________________EVENING PHONE:_______________________

EMAIL ADDRESS:_____________________________________________________________

 

Please tell us what you hope to gain by taking the class: ______________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

 

Please tells us what your previous bird banding and mist netting experience has been: ____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

 

Do you have any special needs or conditions that the instructor or staff needs to be aware of?  Please note:  We have bees and other stinging insects on the field station – if you have any allergies, please come prepared. __________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Lodging and Payment Options:

$_____ $15/night for ______ nights

$_____  $6/day for ____ lunches

$_____ Class Fee

$_____ Total Due                $____________ (50% Deposit)   $____________ (Full Payment)

 

_____Check/Money order enclosed: (Payable to Environmental Studies)

 

 

 

A 50% deposit is required to reserve a seat in the class.  Full payment is due at or before the beginning of the class!  Deposit is 100% refundable if you cancel 30 days prior to the start date of the class.

Deposit is non-refundable if you cancel for any reason after 30 days prior to the start of the class. 

Mail completed form to Environmental Studies on the Piedmont, 6712 Blantyre Road, Warrenton, VA 20187.