Course Description: I love birding, and I love teaching birding even more. I have enjoyed introducing newcomers to the birding world, and I am grateful and stoked to be able to offer this workshop here with AP Homeschoolers! Studying, watching, and listening to our winged friends is both exciting and peaceful, and the birding community is vibrant and welcoming. Birdwatching, or birding, is one of the fastest growing hobbies in the world with an impressive surge of youth interest, which gave me the idea for this class.

Rather than being an ordinary "class," this course is designed to be a highly interactive workshop to encourage learning by birding. Students will . . .

• gain exposure to the 20 most prominent bird families in the continental United States through "Bird of the Day" lessons posted each weekday,
• learn fundamental principles of birding in engaging live workshop sessions, and
• expand and sharpen their observational skills by birding throughout the entire workshop!

Birding can be difficult to start learning alone, as there is much to understand and practice, so my motivation for creating this workshop is to help new birders cut through the confusion and start having fun in the field as soon as possible! Ultimately, the purpose of this workshop is to equip new birders with the starter knowledge and skills necessary to continue developing independently even after the workshop ends.

So, dig up those dusting binoculars in your garage and try something new. Starting this summer, yes, YOU can Learn to Bird!

Who Should Register: Anyone who wants to begin a life-long adventure :). This workshop is designed for ALL students, so even if you can barely recognize a goose, this workshop is for you! We all start somewhere, and there’s no better time to start than now.

Dates and Meeting Times: Learn to Bird: Elementary Ornithology is a four-week course that starts on June 15 and ends on July 12 (2026). The weekly live workshop on Zoom is every Friday, from 11 AM – 12 PM EST. I will post Morning Messages with the "Bird of the Day," providing helpful identification tips from seasoned experience, and students will go birding and create bird checklists each week.

Technical Requirements: Students must have Internet access and be able to join and participate in Zoom calls. Although not technically required, binoculars are super handy to have on hand, and what’s fantastic is the number of decent-quality budget binoculars. I personally own (and have competed with) the pair linked below, and I appreciate how inexpensive they are compared to most birding binoculars:

• 12 x 42 HD Waterproof Binoculars: 12 x 42 HD Waterproof Binoculars: https://www.amazon.com/12x42-Roof-Prism-Binoculars-Adults/dp/B07GF4JCDY/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=binoculars+for+bird+watching&qid=1566081973&refinements=p_36%3A-5000&rnid=386442011&s=electronics&sr=1-3/.

Although not a course requirement, I couldn’t teach birds without mentioning the Sibley Guide to Birds (Second Edition) [ISBN: 978-0-307-95790-0]. Sibley is one of the most accessible, affordable, and comprehensive field guides for learning birders, and one can find a copy of Sibley in the glove compartments of many seasoned birders!

Course Fee: $60 per student.

About the Instructor: This summer marks my fourth year teaching with AP Homeschoolers, and, as always, I am thrilled to return! Birding has taken me to 67 counties in 18 of the United States. As of now, I have contributed 1,000+ citizen science checklists documenting 371 species of birds, photographs of 224 species, and audio recordings of 87 species. I received much of my training from and field experience with Nicholas Komar (the current world record holder for most species seen in the U.S. Territories in a single year).

I became the 2020 Spring Global Big Day Colorado State champion after observing 152 species in under 24 hours, punching in a U.S. Top 50 and WORLD Top 200 finish. The following year, I returned to become the 2021 Spring Global Big Day Larimer County (CO) champion. I am a member of the 300+ Species Club in Colorado and have since remained in the top 0.1% of birders in the United States.

I have had the privilege of witnessing several records:

• Northernmost record of Ruddy Ground Dove in the world (Nov 14, 2020)
• 1st historical record of Yellow Grosbeak in Colorado (May 31, 2021)
• 2nd historical record of Mexican Whip-poor-will in Colorado (Aug 5, 2020)
• 1st confirmed record of Broad-winged Hawk in Park County (CO) (Aug 16, 2020)
• 1st confirmed record of Blue-winged Warbler in Timnath, CO (Aug 16, 2020)
• 1st confirmed record of Scissor-tailed Flycatcher in Timnath, CO (Jun 22, 2019)

I no longer have time for competitions, but I still enjoy participating in citizen science, contributing audio recordings of as many species of birds as possible to the Macaulay Library and to local databases for counties lacking audio data. My focus has also shifted to education, starting local birding communities, volunteering as a bird guide locally, and teaching bird classes and workshops.

The birds are happy, and so am I. – CSA