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| | Winter Bird Feeding Tips |  Horned Larks, Snow Buntings, and Lapland Longspurs feeding on mixed seed scattered on the snow With winter nipping at our heels, it's time to think about what food is best for birds in the colder months. Most of the time our feeders are more for our enjoyment than they are for helping birds. But during extreme cold snaps and persistent snow cover, bird feeders can make a big difference for small birds.
| | Birds at Home Virtual Learning Series NEW PRESENTATIONS & WORKSHOPS! * now sponsored by ZEISS! | 
Evening Grosbeak image courtesy of Brian Zwiebel / Sabrewing Nature Tours
All Birds at Home Virtual Learning Series Keynotes and Workshops are FREE for BSBO members and just $5.00 for nonmembers. Join BSBO HERE. Each presentation is scheduled for 30-45 minutes with ample time for questions afterward. The presentations will take place through Zoom. We've added WORKSHOPS to our Birds at Home Virtual Learning Series! With a focus on beginners, but a great refresher for any skill level, these workshops will cover bird identification, selecting and using optics, and some of our favorite bird families: Owls, Woodpeckers, Hummingbirds, Sparrows, and MORE! The Mystery, Magic, and Majesty of Owls
Tuesday, November 10, 7:00 p.m. (EST) Steeped in legend, symbols of wisdom, popularized by Harry Potter, and beloved by birders, owls have long captivated humans. In this fun and interactive workshop, the staff at Black Swamp Bird Observatory will provide a glimpse into the lives and habitats of these magnificent birds. We'll discuss identification, where, when, and how to look for owls, how to attract them to your yard, and how to observe them safely and responsibly. Winter Finches: Understanding, Identifying, and Attracting these Nomads from the North Tuesday, November 17, 7:00 p.m. (EST)
In certain years, birds referred to as "Winter Finches" leave their northern territories and move south, sometimes in big numbers. If the last few weeks are any indication, it looks like this could be one of those years! Internationally renowned bird expert, Kenn Kaufman, will help us better understand the lifestyles of feathered nomads like Pine Siskins, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Evening & Pine Grosbeaks, Redpolls, Purple Finches, and Crossbills. Kenn will share insight into why they're here in big numbers in some years and absent in others. He'll also provide some tips for identifying these wonderful birds. Kimberly Kaufman will join the conversation to share some tips for attracting winter finches to your feeders. Optics 101: Purchasing, Adjusting, and Caring for Optics Tuesday, December 8, 7:00 PM (EST) While it's possible to enjoy birds without binoculars, having good optics can make all the difference in the world. Buying binoculars can be overwhelming and intimidating, but we can help! In this workshop, BSBO Outreach Coordinator, Jason Guerard, will cover all the basics to help you better understand this important bird observation tool, and help you know what to look for to find the binocular that's right for you! Woodpeckers of the Midwest: Identifying and Attracting the Hammerheads with the Staff of BSBO
Tuesday, December 22, 7:00 p.m. (EST) Observant, bold, and personable, woodpeckers are one of the first group of birds to enter our lives and inhabit our yards. Woodpeckers often begin our journey into bird identification with their recognizable shape and behavior, and their resident nature keeps them close to our homes for year-round observation (sometimes a little too close!) In this workshop we'll explore the woodpeckers that call the Midwest home, offering identification tips, clarification on some of those odd names, and ways to attract these charismatic birds to your yard. And if home repair isn't in your budget, we'll offer some advice for keeping these carpenters away from your siding! New Birds at Home Virtual Learning KEYNOTE Presentations! 
The Road Less Traveled with Kaylee McCaskey (student member of BSBO's Ohio Young Birders Club!)
Saturday, November 7, 7:00 p.m. (EST)
Nothing is inconsequential in this world, for better or for worse. Life is a series of choices - and we have to choose to defend the Earth. Drawing on both her personal experiences and the wisdom of well-known writers and conservationists, Kaylee delivers a heartfelt message designed to inspire nature lovers of all ages.
Saving the Bald Eagle with Mark Shieldcastle Saturday, November 21, 7:00 p.m. (EST) Birdsong for the Curious Naturalist with Donald Kroodsma
Saturday, December 5, 7:00 p.m. (EST) Learn more and REGISTER HERE! Have questions? Email - staff@bsbo.org  We would also like to thank Zeiss for sponsoring our Birds at Home Series! For more information about Zeiss and their birding optics, CLICK HERE.
Not a BSBO member but would like to become one?
Join our flock HERE!
Being a member helps support our work on behalf of birds.
Becoming a member will also enter you into a drawing to win a
$4,700 birding optics package! Looking forward to sharing and learning with you! | | BSBO STATEMENT ON STUDY PAINTING WIND TURBINE BLADE BLACK | 
A recently released scientific paper based on work done in Norway seems to suggest that bird deaths at wind turbines can be significantly reduced by painting one of the three blades black and leaving the other two white/gray to make them more noticeable to birds in flight.
There has been a flurry of optimism over the study and its potential impact on the use of wind turbines as a renewable energy source.
We think this optimism is overstated, and would like to set the record straight.
Read full statement HERE. | | CHECK OUT THE GREAT DEALS IN THE BSBO ONLINE SWAMP SHOP |
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 | | Black Swamp Bird Observatory
13551 W. State Route 2
Oak Harbor, Ohio 43449
(419) 898-4070
www.bsbo.org The mission of the Black Swamp Bird Observatory is to inspire the appreciation, enjoyment,
and conservation of birds and their habitats through research, education, and outreach | |
