Braddock Bay Bird Observatory is pleased to offer an advanced class aimed at understanding the cycle-based Wolfe-Ryder-Pyle aging system. This course would be an excellent primer for banders currently involved with or considering opening MAPS stations, and will be useful for anyone interested in learning to employ this elegant aging system. Students who cannot attend the May course should investigate the Advanced Molt Workshop offered in July as an alternative.
Mornings feature hands-on training in the field at the Kaiser-Manitou Beach Banding Station located just northwest of Rochester, NY on the south shore of Lake Ontario. Students typically focus on processing birds at the banding table using MAPS datasheets and protocols. There is some opportunity for interested students to work on best-practice extraction techniques as well, but the primary aim is to promote accurate aging using the WRP codes.
Saturday and Sunday afternoon will be devoted to lectures, demonstrations, and in-depth instruction on molt and the WRP system:
* Passerine and near-passerine molt sequences and strategies
* A comparison of the traditional calendar-based age classification system and the newer Wolfe-Ryder-Pyle cycle-based age classification system
* Detailed instruction and practice in accurately using the WRP system to age birds
* Practice in interpreting the revised edition of Pyle’s ID Guide to North American Birds
This course has been approved by the North American Banding Council, uses training manuals produced by the NABC, and is taught by Andrea Patterson – an NABC certified Trainer who has taught more than 200 students in small hands-on workshops at BBBO, in the Adirondacks, and in Belize.
The three-day course is timed to coincide with the peak of spring migration. As this is an advanced workshop, we ask that participants have prior mist-netting and banding/processing experience of at least 200 birds. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Course tuition is $250, which includes all materials. There is a $50 discount for students and early career professionals (within five years of a terminal degree) who are pursuing careers in avian ecology or related fields, and who will be paying their own way. To encourage equity and inclusion in avian studies, we offer a limited number of full tuition waivers to students and early career professionals from groups historically excluded from or marginalized in the field.
Because space in this course is limited, priority is given to those with the opportunity to use these skills either in their work or as volunteers. Full payment is due upon accepting a seat in the class unless other arrangements are made. Tuition is refundable minus a $25 administrative fee if the participant cancels at least 30 days before the start of class. Cancellations within 30 days of the start of class are refundable only if we are able to fill the seat with another student. In some cases, students may be able to defer their participation to a later session.
At this time, we anticipate that students will need to secure their own housing, although we are happy to help coordinate students and facilitate searches for lodgings that are convenient and inexpensive.
COVID-19 Notification: COVID-19 has made it more difficult to offer hands-on instruction in a safe way as it requires close contact, “over the shoulder” supervision, passing birds and tools back and forth, etc. We strongly encourage all students and instructors in our classes to be fully vaccinated (i.e., being at least two weeks past the final recommended dose of a vaccine approved for use in the US). We expect that students accepted into the class will exercise sound judgment in their activities in the days and weeks leading up to their time at BBBO, and that they will be forthcoming in advising us of COVID-19 infection or known exposure within a week of the start date.
To apply, visit our website at <https: />
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