Draw your Spark Bird!

Come share your story with The Spark Bird Project, an ongoing community science initiative designed to gather, share, and study the stories of people’s passion for birds! Gather with fellow bird enthusiasts to learn more about TSBP, swap stories, and hear what we are learning from spark birders so far. John Muir Laws will then walk us through the process of drawing his spark brid, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet.

The Spark Bird Project is an ongoing community science initiative designed to gather, share, and study the stories of people’s passion for birds while gaining scientific insights into a critical piece in the ecology of birds: birders themselves. The Spark Bird Project leverages the tools of social science to study spark bird stories, with research findings going directly back to community partners to inform their efforts towards engaging people in birding. The knowledge gained from The Spark Bird Project helps to craft inclusive experiences that can facilitate spark bird moments for the benefit of the birding community, the new birder, the economy, and – most importantly – the birds and our world! By understanding what hooks and sustains birders, The Spark Bird Project helps grow the constituency of individuals creatively working to conserve and protect our planet. The Spark Bird Project also helps birders better understand each other by sharing spark bird stories publicly at https://www.spark-bird.org/stories and, soon, through The Spark Bird Podcast launching in 2024 and a Field Guide to Spark Birds in 2025/2026.

About our Guest

Jenn Lodi-Smith, Ph.D., is a Professor of Psychology at Canisius University. She is a personality developmental psychologist who uses mixed methods research to study identity development over time. She is currently a scholar-in-residence with the Roger Tory Peterson Institute. She serves on the executive board for the Association for Research in Personality, as associate editor of the Journal of Personality, is a board member for the Friends of Reinstein Woods, and mentors the Western New York Young Birders Club. Her spark birds are her kiddos who helped her notice birds and then fall in love with birding. Since then, she has had transformative moments with a fledgling Great Horned Owl, flocks of Atlantic Puffins, a friendly Black-throated Green Warbler, and a fishing Barred Owl!

All ages and experience levels are welcome. No registration is necessary.

Suggested donation: $20. Your donation helps support me and my family. Your generosity is deeply appreciated and it makes an immediate difference in my ability to continue to offer these programs. Your donation is tax-deductible. Click here to donate. If you are not able to donate at this time, no problem–please continue to enjoy the classes and find another way to pay it forward in your community with acts of kindness and service. Thank you!

If you are new to Zoom or are having trouble with the meeting controls, please see these notes and suggestions on Zoom Tips for Online Classes with John Muir Laws to help you get more out of the online workshop. When possible I will also make a recording of the workshop and post it on my blog. I look forward to seeing you there!

Bring

• Your Journal and favorite drawing materials. Taking notes while you watch and participate will help you remember the new techniques and incorporate them into your journaling.
• Your sense of humor!