BANDING CLASSES IN 2008

Spring Beginner and Advanced Classes
Information is posted here on 2008 sessions as they are scheduled. Openings are currently avaialble in all classes but they fill quickly so we recommend early registration.

1) Advanced Ageing and Sexing of Passerines Workshop with Peter Pyle, May 19 – 23, 2008. Please join the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO) and Ventana Wildlife Society (VWS), in cooperation with the Institute for Bird Populations (IBP), for an advanced ageing and sexing of passerines workshop on May 19-23, Monday – Friday, 2008. Peter Pyle, IBP Biologist, and author of The Identification Guide to North American Birds, Part I, will be the primary instructor. The action-packed week will consist of presentations, study of specimens, field mist-netting, banding, and processing at multiple locations on the central coast of California, and field trips to renowned birding locations. Participants will be trained in a synthesis of methods pertaining to identification, ageing, and sexing of landbirds in the hand and in the field. Participants should already be familiar with bird handling and basic mist-netting and banding techniques. Cost is $750 ($650 early registration, by April 7th). Breakfasts and lunches are included; lodging not provided. For more information and a registration form please see our website at http://www.sfbbo.org/activities/education.php or contact Jessica Griffiths at the Ventana Wildlife Society. UPDATE: The Workshop is now full! To be placed on the waiting list, please contact Cathy Keeran at (877) 897-7740 or info@ventanaws.org.

2) Beginner and advanced banding classess (April 26-May 3 and May 4-8, 2008 respectively) are being held at the Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center in North Carolina. Cost is $1000 for the beginner class and $750 for the advanced. Please click here for the registration form and more information. The both classes are now full but please contact Howell Woods to be placed on the waiting list.

See below for more infomation on how to schedule your own customized class.

Customized Classes

Over the past eleven years, IBP has taught several bander training classes each year between April and August for both beginning and advanced banders. We do not provide regularly scheduled classes, but instead offer customized classes to better meet banders' needs. Potential class participants arrange session dates for which we provide a trainer to work with the class at the location of the organizer's choosing.

Course length, content, materials and timing can be adjusted to best fit the needs of the group and can be arranged at a convenient location, provided that adequate numbers of birds can be safely banded and that suitable facilities for class-time discussions are available. Over the years, we've had requests for customized classes from groups of volunteers who band together at a station to wildlife agencies seeking to develop personnel skills.

Sessions with space available will be advertised on this website (see above). This allows those unable to arrange their own class to identify sessions which they may be able to attend. Including additional individuals into pre-arranged sessions also helps reduce the per-person cost of running a class.

Requirements for Hosting a Customized Training Class

Site & Materials

A suitable banding site is critical. Suitable sites should have adequate places to set up mist nets (natural habitats with thick understory without much disturbance from passers-by or domestic animals), should have moderate temperatures (55-85 degrees F during the morning hours), and should have reasonable concentrations of birds (about 20-40 birds per day using ten mist nets from dawn until noon) during the season intended for the class. Nets at feeding stations have also proven effective at supplying an easily monitored set of birds for training purposes. Typically, the hardware for setting up nets (poles and rebar, for example) are provided by the host due to the difficulty in transporting such equipment. IBP can supply nets.

Fees

7 Day Introductory Banding Class

The following charges would accrue for a typical seven-day introductory course with six participants at which the net sites were prepared by the host but the bands were provided by IBP:

Item	Rate	Cost
Training and travel time*	8 days @ $475/day	$3,800
Trainer's travel, room, and board	approx. $600	$600
Providing/processing bands	1 days @ $475/day	$475
Training materials	~ $50/person	$300
	Total Cost	$5,175
Approximate price per person		$863
* If travel time exceeds half a day to and/or from the class, additional time charges may be added.

4 Day Advanced Banding Class Fees

The following charges would accrue for a typical four-day intermediate/advanced course with six participants at which the host prepares the net sites and provides the bands.

Item	Rate	Cost
Training and travel time*	5 days @ $475/day	$2,375
Trainer's travel, room, and board	approx. $600	$600
Bands and site preparation	provided by host	$0
Training materials	$30/person	$180
	Total Cost	$3155
Approximate price per person		$526
* If travel time exceeds half a day to and/or from the class, additional time charges may be added.

Class size

Class size is generally limited to six participants. If needed, two instructors may be available to co-teach classes when there are more than six students. Fees for such classes are increased accordingly.

Facilities

Courses tend to be held at low-cost facilities such as biological stations and youth camps. Participants in customized classes often live at home while attending the class. Costs for room and board, when provided, are additional and vary depending on location. Accommodations are likely to be rustic and courses are conducted under typical field conditions.

Instructors

Our instructors are highly skilled banders with extensive training experience; generally, they are certified NABC trainers. Most have years of experience collecting and analyzing MAPS data. The pool of instructors currently includes:

Mary Chambers
Amy Finfera
Danielle Kaschube
Peter Pyle
Ron Taylor
Kerry Wilcox

To inquire about possible dates for a customized class or to discuss training possibilities in more detail, please contact: Danielle Kaschube

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