Press Releases

Celebrate Spring Birds!

Spring Field Ornithology course returns for 30th season

February 23, 2007

February 2007, Ithaca, NY—With spring not far off, it's time to rejuvenate winter-dull brain cells by learning something new and having a little fun. The Spring Field Ornithology course offered by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology may be just what the doctor ordered. This year the course celebrates 30 years of sharing the "birding spirit" under the guiding hand of Steve Kress, National Audubon Society's vice president for bird conservation. "This is a way that I celebrate the spring," he says. "I celebrate it through the eyes of people who take this class-especially the beginners. They're seeing every new bird with fresh eyes."

Bring your "fresh eyes" to Spring Field Ornithology and discover the abundance of birdlife in the Cayuga Lake area. The eight-week course runs from March 28 to May 20, with Wednesday night lectures at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and optional weekend field trips. Experienced guides will take you to birding hotspots Saturday or Sunday mornings to practice bird identification skills. You'll also learn about eggs and nests, conservation, and fascinating bird behaviors such as singing, courtship rituals, and much more.

Day trips to Derby Hill to watch for hawks and to Braddock Bay near Rochester are on this year's agenda. Overnight field trips will take you to the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge at the north end of Cayuga Lake and the Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey, with other stops in the Cape May area.

The cost is $150 for lectures, $150 for the field trips, or $290 for both sections. An additional fee is required for the overnight trips. Cornell Lab of Ornithology members are eligible for a discount. Cornell employees will receive a free one-year membership to the Lab. As always, space is limited. Call 607-254-2452 to sign up (outside Ithaca, 800-843-2473). You can find out more about the course schedule or sign up via the Lab's secure server by visiting the Spring Field Ornithology web site at www.birds.cornell.edu/sfo. You can also email any questions to sfoclass@cornell.edu. Join Spring Field Ornithology this year and be part of a 30-year celebration of birds and spring!