Difference between revisions of "Field Ornithology"

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Line 24: Line 24:
 
➢ Learn how to take field notes
 
➢ Learn how to take field notes
  
➢ Learn and apply basic field research techniques, study design, and data analysis
+
➢ Learn and apply basic field techniques, study design, and data analysis
  
➢ Develop an individual project  
+
➢ Develop a research project  
  
 +
➢ Improve collaboration skills
  
  
Line 40: Line 41:
  
 
o Field notepad/notebook
 
o Field notepad/notebook
 +
 +
o Closed-toe shoes (no sandals) or hiking boots, & proper outdoor clothing (poison ivy, weather)
  
 
'''• Recommended'''
 
'''• Recommended'''
Line 46: Line 49:
  
 
o Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America
 
o Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America
 
o Old shoes or hiking boots, & proper outdoor clothing (poison ivy, weather)
 
  
 
o Insect repellent (ticks, mosquitoes)
 
o Insect repellent (ticks, mosquitoes)
Line 65: Line 66:
 
!style="background:" width="300"|Topic
 
!style="background:" width="300"|Topic
 
|-  
 
|-  
| M 07 || Course introduction and timeline; Bird identification (Optics, Guides and Notes. Reading: Sibley Field Guide pags. 10-17), Campus birding || M 14|| {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/ortega%26capen1999.pdf}}Ortega & Capen 1999, Local birding (Pink Ravine), Field notebooks (First Submission)  
+
| M 07 || Course introduction and timeline; Bird identification (Optics, Guides and Notes. Homework: Sibley Field Guide pags. 10-17) || M 14|| {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/ortega%26capen1999.pdf}}Ortega & Capen 1999, Local birding (Pink Ravine), Field notebooks (First Submission)  
 
  || M 21 || Individual project data collection II (Final)
 
  || M 21 || Individual project data collection II (Final)
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| T 08 || Topography and Field Marks (Reading: Sibley Field Guide pags. 18-24); Feet, Beaks and Body Form; Field exercises, start project thinking
+
| T 08 || Topography and Field Marks (Homework: Sibley Field Guide pags. 18-24); Feet, Beaks and Body Form; Field exercises, start project thinking
 
  || T 15 || Individual project presentations; Paper submission (Introduction and Methods)
 
  || T 15 || Individual project presentations; Paper submission (Introduction and Methods)
  || T 22 ||  Banding demo, Pomfret Center, Connecticut Audubon Society
+
  || T 22 ||  Survey of coastal birds / Field notebooks (Final Submission)
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| W 09 || Field research techniques, hypotheses testing, study design, and data analysis
 
| W 09 || Field research techniques, hypotheses testing, study design, and data analysis
 
|| W 16 || MIDTERM EXAM; birding after  
 
|| W 16 || MIDTERM EXAM; birding after  
|| W 23 || Survey of coastal birds / Field notebooks (Final Submission)
+
|| W 23 || Project presentations and assisted work on the paper
 
|-  
 
|-  
 
| Th 10 || {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/andersonetal.1979.pdf}}Anderson et al. 1979
 
| Th 10 || {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/andersonetal.1979.pdf}}Anderson et al. 1979
Survey of local birds (Mansfield Hollow),  Individual project guidelines discussion and project selection (written ideas)
+
Survey of local birds (Mansfield Hollow),  Project guidelines discussion and selection (written ideas)
 
  || Th 17 || Individual project data collection I (Methods adjustment)  
 
  || Th 17 || Individual project data collection I (Methods adjustment)  
  
|| Th 24 || Individual project presentations / HEEP site field activity; PAPER SUBMISSION (FINAL)
+
|| Th 24 || Review session in preparation for the final; PAPER SUBMISSION (FINAL)
 
   
 
   
 
|-  
 
|-  
| F 11 || Capture/banding demonstration, Pomfret Center, Connecticut Audubon Society
+
| F 11 || Survey of local birds (Pink ravine)
  || F 18 || Computer Lab (use of eBird, interactive maps, etc.) / Review session in preparation for the final
+
  || F 18 || Banding demo, Pomfret Center, Connecticut Audubon Society
  
 
|| F 25 || FINAL EXAM; Instructor evaluations
 
|| F 25 || FINAL EXAM; Instructor evaluations
Line 99: Line 100:
 
 
 
 
 
Exams:
 
Exams:
June 15th (MIDTERM) [50 points];
+
May 16th (MIDTERM) [50 points];
June 24th (FINAL) [50 points]
+
May 25th (FINAL) [50 points]
  
  
Individual Project Paper:
+
Project Paper:
June 14th (Intro and Methods) [30 points];
+
May 15th (Intro and Methods) [30 points];
June 23rd (Final) [50 points]
+
May 24th  (Final) [50 points]
  
  
Individual Project Presentations:
+
Project Presentations:
June 14th (Intro and Methods) [20 points];
+
May 15th  (Intro and Methods) [20 points];
June 23rd (Final) [25 points]
+
May 24th  (Final) [25 points]
  
  
 
Field Notebook Submissions:
 
Field Notebook Submissions:
June 13th (First) [20 points];
+
May 14th (First) [20 points];
June 22nd (Final) [25 points]
+
May 23rd  (Final) [25 points]
  
  
 
Field trips = Birding exercises (5 points each):
 
Field trips = Birding exercises (5 points each):
June 9th, 10th, 13th, 14th, 21st, 22nd   [30 points]  
+
Dates will be weather dependent   [30 points]  
  
  

Revision as of 21:01, 6 May 2012

EEB3898flyer.jpg

EEB 3898: Field Methods in Ornithology

Intensive Summer Session, May 7th - 25th, 2012 MTWThF

Instructor: Alejandro Rico

Office: Biol/Pharm 404

Phone: 860-486-0309

Office hours: variable & flexible (call, email, drop by)


Course Objectives

➢ Acquire bird identification skills

➢ Learn how to take field notes

➢ Learn and apply basic field techniques, study design, and data analysis

➢ Develop a research project

➢ Improve collaboration skills


Course Materials

Binos.jpg

• Required

o The Sibley Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern North America

o Binoculars (available from us if you don’t have any)

o Field notepad/notebook

o Closed-toe shoes (no sandals) or hiking boots, & proper outdoor clothing (poison ivy, weather)

• Recommended

o Sibley’s birding basics

o Birding by Ear: Eastern and Central North America

o Insect repellent (ticks, mosquitoes)

o Sunscreen


Tentative* schedule

Day Topic Day Topic Day Topic
M 07 Course introduction and timeline; Bird identification (Optics, Guides and Notes. Homework: Sibley Field Guide pags. 10-17) M 14 Pdficon small.gifOrtega & Capen 1999, Local birding (Pink Ravine), Field notebooks (First Submission) M 21 Individual project data collection II (Final)
T 08 Topography and Field Marks (Homework: Sibley Field Guide pags. 18-24); Feet, Beaks and Body Form; Field exercises, start project thinking T 15 Individual project presentations; Paper submission (Introduction and Methods) T 22 Survey of coastal birds / Field notebooks (Final Submission)
W 09 Field research techniques, hypotheses testing, study design, and data analysis W 16 MIDTERM EXAM; birding after W 23 Project presentations and assisted work on the paper
Th 10 Pdficon small.gifAnderson et al. 1979

Survey of local birds (Mansfield Hollow), Project guidelines discussion and selection (written ideas)

Th 17 Individual project data collection I (Methods adjustment) Th 24 Review session in preparation for the final; PAPER SUBMISSION (FINAL)
F 11 Survey of local birds (Pink ravine) F 18 Banding demo, Pomfret Center, Connecticut Audubon Society F 25 FINAL EXAM; Instructor evaluations

*: Schedule is subject to change pending weather conditions, or unforeseen birding and research opportunities.


Grading

Exams: May 16th (MIDTERM) [50 points]; May 25th (FINAL) [50 points]


Project Paper: May 15th (Intro and Methods) [30 points]; May 24th (Final) [50 points]


Project Presentations: May 15th (Intro and Methods) [20 points]; May 24th (Final) [25 points]


Field Notebook Submissions: May 14th (First) [20 points]; May 23rd (Final) [25 points]


Field trips = Birding exercises (5 points each): Dates will be weather dependent [30 points]


Total: [300 points]


Grading scale: A = 100-90%, B = 89-80%, C = 79-70%, D = 69-60%, F = 59-0%. Plus/minus system will be used for the final grade.


Important documents to download:


Course overviewPdficon small.gif

Binoculars sign-outPdficon small.gif

ID'ing exercisePdficon small.gif

Field Notebook InstructionsPdficon small.gif

Individual Project Instructions (Intro and Methods)Pdficon small.gif

Individual Project Instructions (Final)Pdficon small.gif

eBird guidelines Pdficon small.gif


Additional References & Websites

• MANUAL OF ORNITHOLOGY (Yale Univ.), by N.S. Proctor and P.J. Lynch: http://books.google.com/books?id=nQ3vLQkEWQMC&printsec=frontcover&dq=general+warbler+bill+shape#v=onepage&q&f=false

• Bibby CJ, Burgess ND, Hill DA, Mustoe S, editors. 2000. Bird census techniques. San Diego, USA: Academic Press.: http://books.google.com/books?id=Ld5wkzPp49cC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Bibby&ie=ISO-8859-1&cd=2&source=gbs_gdata#v=onepage&q&f=false

• Gill F. 2007. Ornithology. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company. : http://books.google.com/books?id=zM0tG5ApO0UC&printsec=frontcover&dq=ornithology+gill&hl=en&src=bmrr&ei=4iTsTfHvN4b2gAeg3o3ZCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

• Stiling P. 1999. Ecology: theories and application. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

• Clark, G. A. 1999. Birds of Storrs, Connecticut and vicinity. 3rd Ed. Mansfield, CT: Natchaug Ornithological Society & Joshua’s Tract Conservation and Historic Trust.

• SORA (Searchable Ornithological Research Archive): http://elibrary.unm.edu/sora/index.php

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds

• Natchaug Ornithological Society: http://www.nosbird.org/ (esp. “local hotspots” http://www.nosbird.org/hotspots.html)

• Connecticut Ornithological Association: http://www.ctbirding.org/index.htm

• CT Audubon Society: http://www.ctaudubon.org/

• CT Department of Environmental Protection: http://www.ct.gov/dep/site/default.asp


Website design by Diego Sustaita