The Bird ID field training course for 2014 started in Bulgaria

The Bird ID field training course for 2014 started in Bulgaria
Added: 24.03.2014 10:05
Bird ID field training course starts in Bulgaria for a second year after the successful 2013.

A new Bird ID field training course started in Bulgaria for a second year after the successful 2013. The course is organized by the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds / BirdLife Bulgaria (BSPB) and the Nord-Trondelag University College. The aim of the course is to increase the Bird ID skills of current participants in the Bulgarian breeding bird survey and to attract new volunteers into the monitoring scheme.

The popularity of the course attracted 25 keen students to join the training for 2014. The course will include local trips around the capital and additional three trips to habitat specific areas including Mediterranean area, high alpine habitat and coastal wetlands.

The initial feedback from participants is rather positive according to the feedback forms filled up at the end of each day. Students are rather initiative and keen to organize personal birdwatching trips by themselves. This forms a small community which will be self-teaching in addition to the organized course.

Some of the first birds that the participants learnt include Stonechat, Black Stork, White Stork, Marsh Harrier, Lesser spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker, Grey-headed Woodpecker, Hoopoe, Common Buzzard, etc. At the end of each day participants receive the full list of bird species seen during the day. This constitutes a feedback that is given to the students which gives them directions for learning and rehearsal after the field days. Students are keen to take notes and keep a list of the birds seen.

After the first days of the training, the first results are already visible: we have the first participants from the course willing to join the national breeding bird survey and the first subscribers for membership at BSPB.