BEGINNING BIRDER SERIES / GETTING STARTED
HYBRID EVENING COURSE & FIELD LAB
REGISTRATION CLOSES MONDAY, APRIL 1 @ 12AM
$35 / SPACE IS LIMITED
Whether you want to start identifying birds at your feeder or at your local park, figuring out how to start birdwatching comes with many questions. Join Alabama Audubon in our Beginning Birder Series to answer all of your questions and where you'll learn birding basics such as bird identification, essential equipment and how to use it, where to go birding, how to keep bird lists, and many more birdy topics!
The following Saturday, we will join master birder Greg for a leisurely walk at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, one of Birmingham’s premiere birdwatching locations. Early April is an exciting time in Alabama as resident birds such as Northern Cardinals, Carolina Wrens, Eastern Towhees, and Blue Jays are highly vocal and visible as they begin nesting for the breeding season. Additionally, birds such as Northern Parulas, White-eyed Vireos, and Wood Thrushes will have begun trickling into the Birmingham area. Put your new skills to the test as Greg leads us in search of many of the birds discussed previously in the week.
PART I / ONLINE COURSE
April 2 / 6PM–7:30PM
IN-PERSON
Alabama Audubon
2835 Highland Avenue S
Birmingham, AL
ONLINE
Zoom link will be emailed the day prior to the event.
Attending the course in-person is strongly encouraged, as there will be hands-on learning components to the course..
PART II / FIELD LAB
April 6 / 9AM–11AM
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
2612 Lane Park Rd
Birmingham, AL 35223
The field lab will meet at the main gate of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens and will be lead by ProgramCoordinator Andrew Lydeard.
THE BEGINNING BIRDER SERIES Expert birder Greg Harber will offer two courses and corresponding field labs in April as we step into the vibrancy of spring. In the first part of this spring’s course, Greg will cover how to use binoculars and scopes effectively and teach you the basics of birdwatching. We will also begin examining what features separate different bird families, including how to use your field guide to effectively identify birds.
BLUE JAY Simon d'Entremont / Audubon Photography Awards
NEED-TO-KNOW
REMEMBER Spring rains may create wet or slick conditions, so please wear seasonally appropriate attire, plenty of water and snacks, bug spray, and sunscreen.
DETAILS Birmingham Botanical Gardens provides free parking and entry, and there are restrooms on the property. The terrain is paved and includes some slight to moderate slopes that may not be suitable for all people.
ACCESSIBILITY We will walk about a mile through the gardens, starting at the main gate and working around various locations in the park. Spring rains may create wet or slick conditions, so please wear seasonally appropriate attire, plenty of water and snacks, bug spray, and sunscreen.
REQUIRED Participants must complete the mandatory online waiver when registering. Please do not request registration for others when submitting your request.
CANCELLATION In the event of inclement weather, or if you need to cancel at the last minute, please text your trip leader, as the main office will be closed.
REFUNDS Full refunds will be offered only to those who cancel no less than 7 days prior to the event. A partial refund will be offered only if the Field Lab is cancelled by ALABAMA AUDUBON per inclement weather considerations or emergency.
TRIP LEADER
The leaders for this trip are Andrew Lydeard / 703-606-8956. Please contact by phone on the day of the trip only.
WHERE TO MEET & WHEN / FIELD LAB
We will be meeting promptly at 8am on Sunset Drive Trail South just past Jeanette Street and before the junction at Willow Beach Drive.
We recommend using GPS coordinates to find the group.
(34.336083, -86.328398)
EQUITY, DIVERSITY, & INCLUSION
Through more than seventy-five years of conservation work in one of our nation’s most ecologically rich states, Alabama Audubon has seen firsthand how diversity strengthens natural communities. This same principle applies to human communities, which is why our organization is committed to providing equitable and inclusive opportunities for all Alabamians to learn about and enjoy wild birds, their habitats, and the natural world. One of the best ways to support that belief is by valuing and actively seeking to strengthen diversity among our staff, our board, and our membership. To that end, Alabama Audubon welcomes everyone to participate in our work, and strives to make our programs, classes, and events welcome, inclusive, and accessible to all.