We will examine in this class what causes birds and other animals to be disturbed by our presence, and what we can do to lesson this disturbance.
During the day you will learn to recognize and understand the following concepts:
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Comfort bubble
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Bird plow
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Fox walking
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Honoring routine
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Minimizing alarms
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Secondary alarms
This class will give you the tools you need to detect the presence and approach of other humans as well as the strategies to avoid alerting other nearby animals of your own presence. This is particularly valuable skill for those who want to be able to observe more wildlife when they are in remote areas, and for hunters to greatly increase their chances for success by not scaring off prey upon their approach to their hunting area. Additionally, over time you will learn to see more animals than you ever did before, and realize that the areas you move through are teeming with far more life than you ever imagined!
BIRD LANGUAGE
Human Caused Alarms
Ever wonder how Native American tribes like the Apache, Comanche, and Sioux knew the cavalry was coming from several miles away, giving them time to prepare an ambush? The answer is their intimate understanding of bird language! When “unaware” humans typically move through the landscape, they set off numerous bird alarms that ripple far ahead of their location like ripples do in a pond, thus alerting whatever organisms are paying attention to their presence. In this intriguing class, we will study the types of alarms that humans produce, as well as ways for moving through terrain to minimize setting off these alarms.
Earth Native is a sanctioned Bird Language Leaders affiliate, the only training location in the entire southern U.S. certified by Jon Young’s 8shields organization.
Dates: TBA
Time: 9:00am-3:00pm
Cost: $75
Location: Earth Native Campus, 137 Woodview Lane, Bastrop, TX
Ages: This is an adult class but open to ages 12+. Children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult participant with a 1:1 ratio. An enrollment form and payment must be received for each person attending class, regardless of age.
Requirements: There will be short walks involved with class and participants should be comfortable hiking on a paths with short inclines and crossing small stream beds
Please contact us to be notified when dates are announced for this class.
BACKYARD BIRD LANGUAGE
There is an online course offered by Jon Young in conjunction with the University of California at Davis called “Backyard Bird Language.” Jon covers all the major bird language topics in 5 modules with video and audio segments along with daily practices, practical tips, and journaling exercises. The course is self-paced so can be completed in 5 weeks, or over a longer period of time and is an excellent way to begin your bird language journey, whether you are long time birder or completely new to the study of bird behavior. It will open up a whole new world for you as each time you step outdoors, whether that be in your backyard or in the most remote wilderness, you will begin to greatly enhance your connection, enjoyment, and knowledge of the natural world. To register use this link: https://hh156.isrefer.com/go/OCBYB/enstx/