White-crowned Sparrow by John Riegsecker/Macaulay Library. ML 28458541
As the school year begins to wind down, it’s time to start planning for the summer (if you haven’t already!). Here, we’re highlighting a couple of new ornithology-related opportunities for summer 2016.
The Bird Conservancy of the Rockies is hosting two summer camps for birders and young naturalists. One of them, called “Taking Flight,” is a fun camp for exploring the bird diversity and natural environment of the Rockies while meeting other young naturalists. The camp is for ages 12-14 and runs June 12-17. The Bird Conservancy’s other camp, “On the Wing,” is a week-long camp in which campers will design and perform their own research project and learn about field ecology and observation of the natural world. This camp is excellent for any aspiring ornithologist looking to learn about the process of research and to gain hands-on experience with field biology in a beautiful setting. The camp is for ages 15-17 and runs June 22 – July 1. More details for both camps are available here.
Interested in getting involved with ornithology even more this summer? Western Field Ornithologists is offering scholarships for middle and high school students, as well as two college students, to attend the annual WFO and immerse themselves in the cutting edge of ornithological research. The conference this year is in Humboldt, California from September 28-October 1. The deadline is May 15; applications are available here.
Upland Sandpiper by Tom Frankel/Macaulay Library. ML 28457701
The North American Ornithological Conference will be held in Washington D.C. this year, August 16-20. This is another wonderful opportunity for young birders to network with professionals and other students and explore many different fields of ornithology, from parasitology to conservation biology. This conference is one of the largest ornithological conferences in the world, and it is truly an amazing event for any student interested in pursuing ornithology as a career.
You can find many more exciting ideas for summer activities on our Camps and Events and Summer Job Opportunities pages. Whether you attend the 2016 Cornell Young Birders Event, go on a cross-country road trip, or take a challenging and fun field job, or explore the world outside your back door, there’s always more to discover about the natural world. Be sure to record your observations in eBird and use the Breeding Code and Macaulay Library Rich Media Upload tools to participate in the Young Birders Network challenges!
-Sarah Toner