Difference between revisions of "Field Ornithology"

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<span style="font-size: x-large">EEB 3898: Field Methods in Ornithology
 
<span style="font-size: x-large">EEB 3898: Field Methods in Ornithology
  
'''Intensive Summer Session 1, June 6th - 24th, 2011''' '''MTWThF'''  
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'''Intensive Summer Session, May 13th - 31st, 2013''' '''MTWThF'''  
 +
 
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'''Meets:''' 8 am to 11 am, TLS 371
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Instructor: '''[mailto:a.rico@uconn.edu Alejandro Rico]'''
 
Instructor: '''[mailto:a.rico@uconn.edu Alejandro Rico]'''
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➢ Learn how to take field notes
 
➢ Learn how to take field notes
  
➢ Learn and apply basic field research techniques, study design, and data analysis
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➢ Learn and apply basic field techniques, study design, and data analysis
  
➢ Develop an individual project  
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➢ Develop a research project  
  
 +
➢ Improve collaboration skills
  
  
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o Binoculars (available from us if you don’t have any)
 
o Binoculars (available from us if you don’t have any)
  
o Field notepad/notebook
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o Field notepad/notebook ({{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/images/b/b4/Field_Notebook_Guidelines_2013.pdf}} Basic guidelines)
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o Closed-toe shoes (no sandals) or hiking boots, & proper outdoor clothing (poison ivy, weather)
  
 
'''• Recommended'''
 
'''• Recommended'''
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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)
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!style="background:" width="300"|Topic
 
!style="background:" width="300"|Topic
 
|-  
 
|-  
| M 06 || Course introduction and timeline; Bird identification (Optics, Guides and Notes. Reading: MANUAL OF ORNITHOLOGY pags. 274, 276-279 and 286-287), Campus birding || M 13|| Bird families (Taxonomy), Local birding (Yale Forest), Field notebooks (First Submission)  
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| M 13 || Course introduction and timeline; Bird identification (Optics, Guides and Notes. Homework: Sibley Field Guide pags. 10-17) || M 20|| {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/ortega%26capen1999.pdf}}Ortega & Capen 1999, Horizon Wings, Field notebooks (First Submission)  
  || M 20 || Survey of coastal birds
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  || M 27 || Memorial day: Individual project data collection III (Final)
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
| T 07 || Topography and Field Marks; Feet, Beaks and Body Form; Field exercises, start project thinking (written ideas)
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| T 14 || Topography and Field Marks (Homework: Sibley Field Guide pags. 18-24); Feet, Beaks and Body Form; Field exercises, start project thinking
  || T 14 || Individual project presentations; Paper submission (Introduction and Methods)
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  || T 21 || Review; Individual project presentations; Paper submission (Introduction and Methods)
  || T 21 ||  Banding demo, Pomfret Center, Connecticut Audubon Society / Field notebooks (Final Submission)
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  || T 28 ||  Survey of coastal birds (Barn Island)
 
|-  
 
|-  
| W 08 || Field research techniques, hypotheses testing, study design, and data analysis
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| W 15 || Field research techniques, hypotheses testing, study design, and data analysis
|| W 15 || MIDTERM EXAM; birding after
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|| W 22 || MIDTERM EXAM  
|| W 22 || Individual project presentations and assisted work on the paper
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|| W 29 || Project presentations; birding after (Mansfield Hollow). Field notebooks (Final Submission)
 
|-  
 
|-  
| Th 09 || {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/andersonetal.1979.pdf}}Anderson et al. 1979; {{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/ortega%26capen1999.pdf}}Ortega & Capen 1999
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| Th 16 || {{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
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Survey of local birds (Pink Ravine),  Project guidelines discussion and selection (written ideas)
  || Th 16 || Individual project data collection I (Methods adjustment)  
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  || Th 23 || Individual project data collection I (Methods adjustment)  
  
|| Th 23 || HEEP site field activity (use of eBird); PAPER SUBMISSION (FINAL)
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|| Th 30 || Review session in preparation for the final; PAPER SUBMISSION (FINAL)
 
   
 
   
 
|-  
 
|-  
| F 10 || Capture/banding demonstration, Pomfret Center, Connecticut Audubon Society
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| F 17 || Banding demo, Pomfret Center, Connecticut Audubon Society
  || F 17 || Individual project data collection II (Final)
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  || F 24 || Individual project data collection II (Assisted)
  
|| F 24 || FINAL EXAM; Instructor evaluations
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|| F 31 || FINAL EXAM; Instructor evaluations
  
 
|-  
 
|-  
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Exams:
 
Exams:
June 15th (MIDTERM) [50 points];
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May 22nd (MIDTERM) [50 points];
June 24th (FINAL) [50 points]
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May 31st (FINAL) [50 points]
  
  
Individual Project Paper:
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Project Paper:
June 14th (Intro and Methods) [30 points];
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May 21st (Intro and Methods) [30 points];
June 23rd (Final) [50 points]
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May 30th  (Final) [50 points]
  
  
Individual Project Presentations:
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Project Presentations:
June 14th (Intro and Methods) [20 points];
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May 21st  (Intro and Methods) [20 points];
June 22nd (Final) [25 points]
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May 29th  (Final) [25 points]
  
  
 
Field Notebook Submissions:
 
Field Notebook Submissions:
June 13th (First) [20 points];
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May 20th (First) [20 points];
June 21st (Final) [25 points]
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May 29th  (Final) [25 points]
  
  
 
Field trips = Birding exercises (5 points each):
 
Field trips = Birding exercises (5 points each):
June 9th, 10th, 13th, 20th, 21st, 23rd   [30 points]  
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Dates will be weather dependent   [30 points]  
  
  
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'''Additional References & Websites'''
  
'''Important documents to download:'''
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• Local Birds ID tool: http://www.whatbird.com/Expert/Expert.aspx
 
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Course overview{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/Field%20Ornithology%202011.pdf}}
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Binoculars sign-out{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/Binocs%20signout.pdf}}
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ID'ing exercise{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/Exercise.pdf}}
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Field Notebook Instructions{{pdf|http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/courses/fieldornithology/Field_Notebook_Guidelines.pdf}}
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'''Additional References & Websites'''
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• 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
 
• 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

Revision as of 19:57, 24 May 2013

EEB3898flyer.jpg

EEB 3898: Field Methods in Ornithology

Intensive Summer Session, May 13th - 31st, 2013 MTWThF

Meets: 8 am to 11 am, TLS 371


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 (Pdficon small.gif Basic guidelines)

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 13 Course introduction and timeline; Bird identification (Optics, Guides and Notes. Homework: Sibley Field Guide pags. 10-17) M 20 Pdficon small.gifOrtega & Capen 1999, Horizon Wings, Field notebooks (First Submission) M 27 Memorial day: Individual project data collection III (Final)
T 14 Topography and Field Marks (Homework: Sibley Field Guide pags. 18-24); Feet, Beaks and Body Form; Field exercises, start project thinking T 21 Review; Individual project presentations; Paper submission (Introduction and Methods) T 28 Survey of coastal birds (Barn Island)
W 15 Field research techniques, hypotheses testing, study design, and data analysis W 22 MIDTERM EXAM W 29 Project presentations; birding after (Mansfield Hollow). Field notebooks (Final Submission)
Th 16 Pdficon small.gifAnderson et al. 1979

Survey of local birds (Pink Ravine), Project guidelines discussion and selection (written ideas)

Th 23 Individual project data collection I (Methods adjustment) Th 30 Review session in preparation for the final; PAPER SUBMISSION (FINAL)
F 17 Banding demo, Pomfret Center, Connecticut Audubon Society F 24 Individual project data collection II (Assisted) F 31 FINAL EXAM; Instructor evaluations

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


Grading

Exams: May 22nd (MIDTERM) [50 points]; May 31st (FINAL) [50 points]


Project Paper: May 21st (Intro and Methods) [30 points]; May 30th (Final) [50 points]


Project Presentations: May 21st (Intro and Methods) [20 points]; May 29th (Final) [25 points]


Field Notebook Submissions: May 20th (First) [20 points]; May 29th (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.


Additional References & Websites

• Local Birds ID tool: http://www.whatbird.com/Expert/Expert.aspx

• 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


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