For students, faculty, personnel from federal and state agencies, museums, environmental organizations and consulting firms
Field Methods for Studying Avian Migration August 21 - 27 Instructors: Adrienne Leppold and David Brinker Location: Eagle Hill Institute, Steuben, Me More than 300 species of birds occur in Maine at some point in their life cycle. Maine is a nexus of activity for both breeding birds and migrant individuals. This course has been scheduled to overlap the transition period from the breeding season into fall migration. The main topics of the course include 1) methods for capturing and marking wild birds, 2) methods for studying migratory behavior, and 3) data capture, analysis and application. Days will primarily be spent in the field; however some sessions will be reserved for labs dealing with age and sex determination as well as statistical challenges and approaches, particularly with the large amount of easily amassed banding data. This course will be ideal for any individual looking to gain or further hands-on experience and training in avian sampling methodologies. Field and classroom topics include, but are not limited to, mist-netting (passive and target with play-back), banding, in-hand species, age, and sex determination, use of auxiliary markers, and various emerging tracking technologies. Field portions will be focused on the capture and study of songbirds and raptors, but can be flexible given the specific interests and skill levels of participants. This course will be most beneficial for those with an existing knowledge of basic ornithological principles and species idenentification skills, but individuals of any skill level are encouraged to apply. Interested individuals should contact Marilyn at Eagle Hill. Instructors will contact you to discuss your interests and experience level so they can adapt course structure and content to target individual goals and determine whether or not the course will be a good match for you. About the Instructors Adrienne Jo Leppold ([email protected]) is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Maine studying behavioral ecology of landbird migrants in the Gulf of Maine. Her work has made groundbreaking strides in understanding the movement of landbirds through the region and led to the creation of an international, multi-agency initiative to study bird migration in the Gulf of Maine region. She has over 10 years experience working with training others in field ornithology practices. While her studies have focused passerines, near passerines, and seabirds, she is also experienced with raptors and shorebirds. She is one of a couple hundred people licensed as a North American Banding trainer. She has co-authored several banding manuals used by banding stations throughout North American and recommended by the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory. David Brinker ([email protected]) is an ecologist with the Maryland Department of Natural Resource’s Natural Heritage Program where he has worked on biodiversity conservation since 1989. He is the founder of Project Owlnet and co-founder of Project SNOWstorm, two highly successful cooperative efforts to study migrating and wintering owls using bird banding and radio telemetry. Since 1994, he has led the Central Appalachian Goshawk Study in Maryland, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. For many years, Dave was affiliated with a long-term raptor banding and migration monitoring effort along the western shore of Green Bay. He has authored or coauthored papers on Northern Goshawk population change, Red-tailed Hawk migration, Northern Saw-whet ecology and movement, American Oystercatcher distribution, as well as on secretive marsh birds and colonial nesting waterbirds. For general information, go to http://eaglehill.us/programs/nhs/natural-history-seminars.shtml For course calendar and course descriptions, go to http://www.eaglehill.us/programs/nhs/nhs-calendar.shtml For application information and cost breakdown, go to http://www.eaglehill.us/programs/general/application-info.shtml For more information, contact [email protected], 207-546-2821 x 1
