More than 40 species of shorebirds have been recorded around Homer, Alaska. Large flocks migrate through Kachemak Bay each spring, thrilling birders who sometimes travel long distances to view the spectacle. For over 30 years, the town of Homer has celebrated the shorebirds’ arrival in spring with the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival.
Join us for a special field workshop during the peak of migration and hone your shorebird identification skills just in time for the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival. This workshop will focus on finding and studying the shorebirds moving through our area. We’ll visit Homer’s best birding spots and see how many of the region’s migrant waders we can find. But this trip is more than just ticking off birds on our list. We’ll focus on actually learning the birds, studying their plumage, structure, voice, behavior, and habitats. We’ll discuss their life histories, status and distribution, and migration timing. After this workshop, you’ll be able to identify the shorebirds of the region confidently. You’ll also be familiar with some of the area’s best birding spots, and have insight on how and when to explore those sites to maximize your birding potential. This trip dovetails perfectly with the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival so that you can use your newly minted skills at this fantastic event.
This workshop is concentrated over three-half days. We’ll start at 7 AM and finish around noon each day, allowing you time to enjoy the other attractions of beautiful Homer, Alaska, in the afternoon. This is a field workshop, taking place entirely on the beaches, mudflats, and marshes around Homer. The workshop fee includes transportation, pick-up/drop-off from your Homer area hotel, breakfast, and field instruction. Lodging is not included. Participation is limited to just four people.
