NATURE & SCIENCE

Nature Study in the Digital Age: Using Simple Tools to Document Wildlife

Four In-Person Sessions | $190

Thur., Oct. 5, 12, 2023, 7–9 pm MT

Field Trips, Sat., Oct. 7, 14, 9 am–1 pm

Amateur nature study is in the throes of a magnificent renaissance right now. Millions of enthusiasts are reconnecting with the natural world, and millions more are connecting for the first time. The birds, insects and wildflowers have always been there of course, but we are appreciating them anew with equipment that almost all of us have access to: our phones, our laptops and inexpensive cameras. But how do we sort among all the apps and websites, the settings and software, and more? In this fun and interactive course, led by naturalist and birding expert Ted Floyd, go over the basics in the classroom, then go outside and create media (photos, videos and sound recordings), and then learn how to share your content with fellow enthusiasts everywhere. With discussions in the classroom and in the field, explore the cultural milieu in which this glorious revolution is unfolding: the impact of the pandemic, the role of social media and the expansion of nature study to previously underrepresented communities. You also examine the fascinating question of how technology itself is affecting how we interpret and engage with the natural world.

The class coincides with a time of spectacular biodiversity in the Front Range metro region. Bird migration will still be clicking at full tilt, many butterflies and other insects will still be active, and late-season wildflowers will be at their peak. Learn their names, obtain brilliant media and go home with digital scrapbooks that you can treasure for the rest of your life. Field trips involve easy walking at parks around Denver and Boulder with good trails and other amenities. Bring your phone (Floyd shares which free apps to download) and a camera if you have one. No experience necessary.

Ted Floyd is the long-time editor of Birding, the flagship publication of the American Birding Association, and the author of many articles and books, including How to Know the Birds (2019) and the Field Guide to Birds of Colorado (3rd printing, 2021). He has taught college courses in ecology, evolution, entomology, conservation biology and other topics.