TEXAS WATERFOWL WORKSHOP

REGISTER HERE

Duck, swan, goose - you're it!

TOS presents the second series of instructional sessions with Shelia Hargis:

INTRODUCTION TO TEXAS WATERFOWL

Texas Ornithological Society’s newest class focuses on the geese, swans and ducks of Texas.  This class is great for newer birders, but it can also be beneficial to more experienced birders, especially for those who identify female ducks by their association with a male.

Based on the last five years of eBird data, there are about 35 species of wild waterfowl expected in Texas, and seven species that are considered rare. In this class, we’ll discuss the field marks for those 35 species, focusing mainly on the more easily identified males but also spending time looking closely at the females. It’s amazing what you can see when you actually look closely at the females! We’ll also talk about the timing and distribution of these species and some of their cool behavior. If time allows, we’ll discuss the rare species.

This workshop is offered in two parts – the virtual classroom session (described above) and an in-the-field session. 

VIRTUAL CLASSROOM SESSION: This will include four classroom sessions via Zoom. Each session will be two hours long. Class dates are February 16, 23, March 2, and 9 from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM (Central Time). The class fee is $120 for TOS members, part of which goes to the instructor and part of which goes to TOS. The fee is $155 for non-members, which includes a one-year membership. Sessions will be recorded and access shared with participants for additional study opportunities.

IN-THE-FIELD SESSION: This will be held in Austin over a weekend when we’ll visit numerous ponds in the general Austin area. Not all the species in Texas are expected there, but a good many of them are, especially the more common species. If the birds cooperate, most of the ponds that we visit will have flat and smooth trails or sidewalks and close views of the waterfowl. The weekend fieldwork will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to those who are registered for the classroom session.

The weekend fieldwork is optional for students of the classroom session only. It will be held March 6 - 8, starting in the afternoon on Friday and ending around lunch on Sunday. The cost is $60, which is separate from the classroom fee. The field session is limited to the first 15 participants to register. You will find the link to register in the workshop confirmation email.

Shelia Hargis, the instructor for this class, has been birding for nearly 30 years. Birds became a passion (obsession) for Shelia early on, and she is totally fine with that! Within the last few years, she has become very interested in watching and studying bird behavior to better understand how birds live their lives. She spends a great deal of her days conducting bird surveys for the City of Austin, the North American Breeding Bird Survey, and Texas Parks & Wildlife; participating in numerous Christmas Bird Counts each year; teaching classes about birds; giving presentations on a variety of bird topics; and leading field trips. She is Past President of both Texas Ornithological Society and Travis Audubon and is very active with both of those organizations. She is also a Capital Area Master Naturalist.

If you have any questions, contact Shelia Hargis at shelia.hargis@gmail.comor 512-294-0272.

-Janey Woodley and Crystal Ledezma, TOS Travel & Events Committee Co-chairs