Friday, August 10, 2007

Fall Warbler Symposium

Yes, indeed, those confusing fall warblers are guaranteed to drive a birder batty. Not! Roger Tory Peterson did many great things in a long and storied career, but coining the phrase "confusing fall warblers" may not have been among them. It's catchy and has stuck, and now many birders think warblers in fall are as hard to learn as advanced calculus.


Sure, some species do look similar, and pretty much none of them are as vibrantly colored as in spring. And they sure aren't singing in fall, either. But on the plus side, there are more warblers to chase around in fall migration, as their numbers are bolstered by youngsters fledged that summer.


In any event, the Ohio Ornithological Society, Black Swamp Bird Observatory, and Toledo Naturalists' Association is pleased to host a Fall Warbler Symposium September 8 & 9 at Lakeside along the shores of Lake Erie. We'll have a star-studded cast of speakers on Saturday, and wonderful trips afield on Sunday. That weekend is pretty much the peak of fall warbler migration, and we should find plenty; maybe even some Connecticut Warblers.


Jon Dunn, who wrote the Warblers field guide for the Peterson series, will be speaking. So will Kenn Kaufman. Bill Evans will be there. So will Elliot Tramer. All are accomplished speakers, and know mucho about warblers. You won't want to miss them. The Grand Finale will be Victor Emanuel, making his first Ohio appearance. Victor is a legend, and has been all over the globe. He founded VENT, perhaps the world's most respected ecotourism company. He'll be on stage Saturday night.


Field trips will hit all the great birding hotspots along western Lake Erie, led by experts.


You won't want to miss this one. These symposia are always a blast and a great way to meet other birders from all over the map. Go RIGHT HERE for conference info and registration.


Hope to see you there!
A "confusing fall warbler". It won't be confusing after you attend this symposium. And just like the photo shows, if you can't get a good look at a bird, we'll catch it for you :-)

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