Hello all-
My search for a class that would help me boost my field
skills to the next level took me over the border to the
Vancouver Avian Research Centre Bird I.D. class this
weekend. Holy smoke, what a cool class!
It started with a solid foundation in bird topography and
physiology and progressed into field marks, songs,
behavior and habitat. Even though some of the folks in the
class were beginning birders, we were led right into the
fray of bird I.D., using field marks and songs to
distinguish even shorebirds and empidonax flycatchers with
growing confidence as the weekend progressed.
Kudos go to Derek and Carol for putting together a
curriculum that gets across so much information in a short
period of time, reinforced via practice exercises and
repetition. I recommend this class without reservation and
my friends are going to be getting earfuls of info that I
picked up from it.
After this weekend I am itching to take the bird-banding
class that Joel Brady-Power spoke so well of last week.
If nothing else, I strongly encourage you to check out the
VARC website to get an idea of the impressive work going
on there. www.birdvancouver.com
-Megan McGinty