| Course Number: | EDU 5710 S20 |
| Instructor: | Sean Beckett, M.S. & Chip Darmstadt |
| Location: | In-person & online. |
| Dates and Times: | May 18 - July 18, 2026. May 18-22, 8 am -5 pm each day at The Creative Campus @ Goddard. |
| Credits: | 3 Graduate Credits |
| Tuition: | Tuition is set by and payable to North Branch Nature Center |
Vermont is home to close to 200 species of breeding birds. They are ubiquitous and conspicuous in every ecosystem in the state, and their fascinating behavior is readily observed. In this field-based course, you’ll develop a breadth of knowledge and skills to identify and better understand Vermont’s common and not-so-common birdlife.
This course will cover the natural history of birds in Vermont, with a focus on techniques to observe and identify species in the field. Topics will include avian taxonomy and anatomy, breeding and migratory behaviors, and strategies in avian conservation. We’ll explore wetlands, fields, forests, and lakes to see how various species adapt to the challenges presented by different ecosystems. We’ll investigate the diets, foraging ecology, and predator-prey relationships of resident birds, while we seek out species using our local natural areas as migratory stopovers.
A major focus of the course will be the identification of species by sight and sound by scrutinizing field marks and decoding birdsong. You will gain skills to observe and identify birds on your own, to participate in citizen science, and to share your newfound knowledge with others.
Audience: Naturalists and Educators with a Bachelor's Degree
Course Goals:
Course Objectives:
Course will take place in-person, in the field and in the classroom, on the Monday-Friday listed in the scheduled course meeting time above. Course will begin at The Creative Campus @ Goddard in Plainfield, VT and may visit several sites during the weekend to cover course content in the field. Nightly reflections for each of the in-person days will be due immediately following the in-person experience. A final project will be due by July 18, 2026.
Costs for required readings/resources, if any, may not be included in the course tuition. Please contact NBNC for more information.
Floyd, T. (2025). National Geographic field guide to the birds of the United States and Canada (8th ed.). National Geographic.
Hill, J. M., & Williams, D. M. (2024). State of the mountain birds report: Northeast 2024. Vermont Center for Ecostudies.
Edwards, S. V., & Reed, J. M. (Eds.). (2025). New perspectives in ornithology: 21st century dispatches across the world of birds. Oxford University Press.
Blanc-Benigeri, A., Poirier, V., Narango, D., et al. (2024). Diet of moulting Swainson’s thrushes (Catharus ustulatus) and Tennessee warblers (Leiothlypis peregrina) at a stopover site during fall migration measured with fecal DNA metabarcoding. Scientific Reports, 14, 9913.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology. (2022). All about birds: Northeast. Princeton University Press.
(802) 229-6206
This course requires registration with North Branch Nature Center (NBNC) first. Please click on the Register Now! link below.