In partnership with the Ogeechee Audubon Chapter, the Hilton Head Audubon Society offers the Georgia Audubon Society’s popular Master Birder Program Oct. 11-Nov. 10, 2022, with Zoom webinars and in-person field trips
This fall, the Hilton Head Audubon Society is proud to partner with the Ogeechee Audubon Society to offer the Georgia Audubon Society‘s popular Master Birder Program to local residents.
Running from Oct. 11 through Nov. 10, this course includes a combination of mandatory Zoom webinars and in-person field trips that will bring birders through the Savannah area — rich in bird life — and the natural beauty of coastal South Carolina and Georgia.
The Savannah region is known as a national gem in the multi-billion-dollar birding ecotourism market. Thought this course, you can join the greater community of 45.1 million birdwatchers throughout the United States who come together to explore and appreciate the nature around them.
The course includes classification and identification of birds, learning how to use birding apps and equipment, immersion in bird songs and calls, and studying bird anatomy and physiology, bird ecology, behavior, flight and migration patterns. Most importantly, you will gain crucial expertise in bird conservation. Upon graduation, Master Birders are encouraged to complete their annual volunteer service for their Hilton Head Audubon chapter to receive additional membership benefits like early registration and discounted event fees.
This includes being a part of a vibrant, connected community of birders. Master Birders will be put in contact with one another through a Master Birder listserv that will keep you informed about volunteer opportunities and special programs. You will also be invited to join our Master Birder Facebook page.
Attendance in all classes and field trips is mandatory. Virtual Zoom classes will be held Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and field trips will meet Saturday mornings at 8 a.m. and conclude by 11 a.m. — except where noted. Field trips may be subject to change due to inclement weather and any unforeseen circumstances.
Registration opens August 1.
You do not need to be a Georgia Audubon member to register, but you must sign into the program and get a username and password in order to join the course. The course is $450 and limited to 15 participants. If the program fee or Audubon membership is a financial burden, we offer assistance through the Georgia Audubon Scholarship.
This course is in keeping with Hilton Head Audubon Society’s dedication to promoting the awareness and appreciation of nature, to preserve and protect our wildlife and natural ecosystems, and to encourage responsible environmental stewardship. We have a membership base of over 200 people and stand as the leading voice of conservation on Hilton Head Island and Beaufort County, South Carolina.
This is an opportunity for you to join us in upholding this mission, while taking in the serene beauty of the natural world the birds of our beloved region call home.
Course schedule:
AGENDA
Tuesday, Oct. 11, 7-8:30 PM — Orientation
Thursday, Oct. 13, 7-8:30 PM — Bird Identification and eBird App Use
Instructor: Melanie Furr, Director of Education at Atlanta Audubon Society
Saturday, Oct. 15, 8 AM — Field Trip: Birding on Hilton Head
Leader: Carlos Chacon, Manager of Natural History, Coastal Discovery Museum, Hilton Head Island
Monday, Oct. 17, 7-8:30 PM — Birding Techniques and Apps
Instructor: Theresa Hartz, Georgia Audubon Society Birder
Thursday, Oct. 20, 7-8:30 PM — Bird Songs & Calls
Instructor: Georgann Schmalz, Ornithologist
Saturday, Oct. 22, 8 AM — Field Trip to Kingfisher Pond in Savannah’s National Wildlife Refuge
Leader: Mary Lou Dickson, Board Member, Ogeechee Audubon
Tuesday Oct. 25, 7-8:30 PM — Bird Song & Calls
Instructor: Georgann Schmalz, Ornithologist
Thursday, Oct. 27, 7-8:30 PM — Bird Behavior
Instructor: Theresa Hartz
Saturday, Oct. 29, 8 AM — Field Trip to Sterling Creek Park, Bryan County, GA
Leader: Pam Smith—top eBird hot spot
Tuesday, Nov. 1, 7-8:30 PM — Bird Anatomy and Physiology
Instructor: Charlie Muise, Georgia’s Important Areas Program Coordinator
Thursday, Nov. 3, 7-8:30 PM — Flight and Migration
Instructor: Charlie Muise
Saturday, Nov. 4, 8 AM — Field Trip to Pinckney Island National Wildlife Refuge, HHI
Leader: Carlos Chacon
Tuesday, Nov. 8, 7-8:30 PM — Bird Ecology
Instructor: Adam Betuel, Director of Conservation, Georgia Audubon
Thursday, Nov. 10, 7-8:30 PM — Bird Conservation
Instructor: Adam Betuel
Saturday, Nov. 19, 11:30 AM-1 PM — Graduation lunch
Location to be announced