Photo Credit: Oscar Palmquist
Are you curious about
those birds visiting your backyard feeder, hiding in your shrubs, or hanging
around that nearby park you like to visit so much? Would you like to put a name
with them? If so, this could be the class for you.
Who Should Take This
Class? You know if you're
a beginner and, if so, this class is for you. But just what do we mean by
a "near beginner?" You could be a near beginner if (1) you've
been looking at birds on your own but feel stuck and in need of the help and
direction a class can give, or (2) you've even taken a class or two but still have
problems finding and identifying a lot of birds.
Class Description: The course includes two classroom meetings
with slide and video presentations and four field trips to a variety of Eugene
area sites.
Elements of bird
identification (ID) will be linked to observation of bird behavior and habitat
relationships with interesting tidbits of bird natural history sprinkled
throughout. Knowledge of the habitat a bird selects and the place it
occupies in that habitat is an important part of learning bird ID. Likewise,
knowledge of bird behavior can be very useful. The way a bird flies,
feeds, or otherwise behaves can be just as important in ID as whether it has an
eye ring or a banded tail. In this class, the questions "where is
the bird hanging out?" and "what is it doing?" will be asked
just as often as "what color is it" or "does it have a wing
patch?" In other words, there is a lot more to bird identification
than appearance.
In this way you'll be
expanding your general knowledge and appreciation of birds while developing and
improving your ID skills. And you'll be encouraged by the relaxed
atmosphere and pace of the class. The goal here is to learn a lot about
birds but not at the expense of enjoyment.
Instructor: Dave Bontrager
Classroom Location: All sessions will meet at the West Eugene
Wetlands Education Center (also known as the Red House) located at 751 S.
Danebo Ave., Eugene.
Schedule for Section 1
Classroom Meetings
(Wednesday
evenings 6:30 - 9PM)
Feb 5 & Feb 26
Field Trips
(Wednesday
mornings 8 - 11AM)
Feb 19, Mar 12, Mar 26, Apr 9
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Schedule for Section 2
Classroom Meetings
(Thursday
evenings 6:30 - 9PM)
Feb 6 & Feb 27
Field Trips
(Sunday
mornings 8 - 11AM)
Feb 23, Mar 16, Mar 30, Apr 13
Class Fee: $50
Please send all class fee payments to, check or money order to:
WREN, 751 S. Danebo Ave., Eugene, OR 97402
** Check or Money Order Only **
To Register:
If you'd like to
register, send an e-mail to susanna@wewetlands.org with your name, phone number. Then send
in your class fee payment (check only) to WREN, 751 S. Danebo Ave.,
Eugene, OR 97402. (If you would like to pay cash you will need to make
arrangements to drop it off in person.)
This will be the only way to register.
You will be notified if
you are on the class roster or if you have been added to the waitlist. WREN
must receive your class fee PRIOR to the first class for the section you are
registering to attend (February 5th or February 6th) to confirm
your space in the class.
Each class section is limited to 15 participants.
