The Event!

Imagine having the capacity to enter any forest, old field, or woodlot in the eastern United States, and with your eyes closed, recognize nearly every bird song that you hear.

This in-depth course will teach you to learn the songs, calls and field identification skills of the breeding birds in America’s Eastern forest heartland, as well as their natural history and ecology. Gaining such skills requires lots of time in the field, patient repetition, good learning aides, and positive reinforcement – attributes that are not often found in casual bird walks with birders, but will be bountifully present in this course.

Whether you are a beginning or intermediate birder, you will leave this course with substantially higher levels of mastery, adding 25-45 new songs to your repertoire. We will spend every day outdoors with a small group of participants who will be personally coached and guided by our experienced course leader, Artemis Eyster, and her assistant, Teri Gilligan. People vary widely in their ability to learn through sound, and this course will accommodate all levels of experience and abilities. Everyone will leave this course feeling proud of their newly won and significant life skills.

Registrants will:

• become familiar with the most common songs, and in many cases the call notes, of up to 85 species of nesting birds in the Appalachian heartland.

• increase one’s repertoire of recognized songs by 25-45 new species.

• learn and practice techniques for identifying birds in the field, based on markings, behavior, & flight patterns.

• tricks and tips for permanent memorization.

• learn bird assemblages by habitat – exploring the most common habitats in the mid-latitude heartland of eastern North America.

• gain a holistic view of avian life challenges and ecosystem requirements.

• learn the taxonomic groupings to which bird species belong, evidencing evolutionary lineages and relationships to other species here and abroad.

• learn bird food sources and behaviors; and how they change from season to season, and from species to species.

• hear educational stories about bird natural history and ecology that can be remembered and passed on to others.

• learn about conservation challenges facing bird species in eastern North America.

• learn how to fruitfully engage with some truly wonderful phone apps and web materials.

Questions or interest in making lodging reservations:
For event information: Cassidy Drummond, Education Coordinator at 937-794-3360
For lodging inquiries: Seth Oglesby, Office Manager at 937-365-1935
Email: arcpreserveinfo@gmail.com

Cancellation policy.  In case of cancellation, refunds will be granted in full up until April 19, 2024. After that time, all payments are final and if not used, will be recorded as a tax-deductible donation to the Arc of Appalachia. Registrations are transferable. If transferring your registration to another party, please be sure to give us your recipient’s name and email.

Lodging. Optional but highly encouraged: 4 nights lodging at the Sanctuary –  $50/night/ in a room shared with another registrant of the same gender; $85/night private room. 

Meals. The course does not include meals. All lodges are equipped with fully equipped kitchens and dining facilities. Participants are asked to bring their own food supplies. Please plan head in anticipation of a picnic supper to be held at Kamama Prairie Preserve Saturday evening.

Bringing a field guide and downloading Phone Apps before you come is recommended. A great field guide is The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America. On your phone, we highly recommend you download the Merlin Bird ID app by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. When making your download selections, be sure to also add the “Bird Pack'' for “US: Midwest.” If you want to keep track of birds on a digital checklist consider downloading the eBird app (also Cornell Lab of Ornithology) and creating an account.  

What should I bring? 

• Binoculars (if you don’t have a pair, 8x42 is a good option). 

• Cell phone for bird ID apps, navigation, and photography

• a light separate from your phone (for an evening program on Saturday)

• Raingear

• Bird field guide of choice

• Water bottle and day pack to carry it in

• Walking sticks to support being on your feet all day.

• a notebook or clipboard, pen, pencils, and paper (for sketching and field notes)

• Pocket money for snacks and small purchases

• A light-weight wide-brimmed hat for sun protection

• Light-weight long-sleeved shirts and long pants are recommended for sun and insect protection.

• Personal care items (soap, shampoo, etc.);  Sunscreen if you use it (note some are more environmentally friendly than others)

• Sunglasses if you are sensitive to bright sunlight

• First aid kit appropriate to your needs

• Optional. Insect repellent for ticks & chiggers, see details below.

Cell phone coverage and the internet are limited. Please note that the Sanctuary is in a rural location in the foothills of the Appalachians. Cell phone coverage is spotty and connectivity depends on your phone service company. However, limited Wi-Fi is available at the Museum headquarters where we will be spending a lot of time, while a short drive to Highway 50 connects to nearly every service provider.

Comfort in the out-of-doors. We will be spending most of our time in the field, so please pack clothing that will allow you to be comfortable for a variety of weather conditions. In southern Ohio, the low to mid-seventies are common daytime highs in mid-May, but in reality our highs could be anywhere from the low sixties to the high eighties. We encourage you to look at a weather forecast before you pack. Night-time lows are equally variable, anywhere from the thirties to the sixties, but most likely in the high fifties - low sixties. 

Flying in? Participants may fly into either Cincinnati or Columbus. Both airports are 1 hour and forty-five minutes away from the Sanctuary. Shuttles are not available so participants may need to rent a car.

Emergency Messages. Emergency messages for course participants can be left at the mainline of the Highlands Nature Sanctuary (937) 365-1935 during daytime hours.

Poison Ivy. You will have minimal but possible exposure to poison ivy. In any case, the leaders know the plant well and will help you avoid exposure. If you do touch the leaves, washing vigorously with soap within an hour avoids reactivity in most people.

Should I prepare for insects?  Generally, the Sanctuary is not a buggy place for biting insects. We experience very few to no mosquitoes or black flies at the Sanctuary. You may encounter several species of ticks in the open fields, and chiggers in tall grass if you choose to wander into them (which is a good reason not to), and a few deer flies in low moist areas. That said, our tick population here is lower than in most southern habitats. If any of these challenges are new for you, let us know and we will do our best to orient you. No exposure to at least some insects in southern Ohio is not a realistic expectation for outdoor fieldwork. Since we do have ticks in our southern Ohio preserves, please read the notes below.

A Special Note on Ticks. It is wise to minimize exposure to ticks. WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE USE OF ROSE GERANIUM OIL ON YOUR LEGS AND PANTS which, when diluted 1:10 with rubbing alcohol and put in a spray bottle, has proved to be an excellent deterrent. We also recommend a good tick check at night before or after showering.

The key to addressing Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme’s disease risks is to be aware of symptoms and demand proper diagnostic tests if you suspect the disease. Both diseases are treatable if detected early, so it is wise to be proactive in your health care.

Here are some symptoms to remember, which tend to be flu-like. In addition, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever usually results in rashes.

• Pain areas: in the joints or muscles

• Whole body: fatigue, fever, or malaise

• Joints: stiffness or swelling

• Also common: the appearance of large red blotches, sometimes with a bulls-eye pattern,

• Headache

• Palsy

A Special Note on Chiggers. Chigger bites are very annoying if numerous, and are itchy for about a week in most people, but are not dangerous. The best way to minimize or better yet, completely avoid chigger exposure is to stay on the trail and spray your lower extremities (see our recommended rose geranium oil concoction which can go directly on your skin.). Perhaps, ironically, we have found that open-toed sandals attract less chiggers than socks and shoes. Chiggers love to bury in tight places between skin and clothing. Bare legs can also deter ticks because you can easily feel them crawling up your legs, as well as visually see them and more easily send them on their way. 

We are not necessarily recommending shorts and sandals during the day, but if you enjoy wearing them, consider doing so and spraying yourself lightly with diluted rose geranium oil (see above). You will likely fare better than your less scantily dressed colleagues because chiggers dive into places between skin and fabric, including socks. After an outing in the field, regardless of your dress and use of repellants, to minimize chigger bites, wash vigorously with a washcloth and soap and make a visual check. If you have good eyes and you get to the task fast enough, you can even see chiggers as very tiny dark dots on your skin that can be scratched off.