Schedule At-a-Glance
All times and events below are subject to change.
Monday, Dec. 7
U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center conference room – Small Group Meetings
8:00 am – 11:00 am: Alaska Shorebird Group Meeting
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Boreal Partners in Flight and Raptor Working Group Meetings
The Marriott Anchorage Downtown Hotel – The 21st Alaska Bird Conference
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm: Alaska Bird Conference Opening Reception with Bird Trivia! Drinks available for purchase, food not provided.
Tuesday, Dec. 8
The Marriott Anchorage Downtown Hotel
8:30 am – 8:45 am: Welcome to the 21st Alaska Bird Conference
8:45 am – 9:45 am: Invited speaker Caroline Van Hemert, “Using Storytelling as a Catalyst for Change”
9:45 am – 10:15 am: Break
10:15 am – 10:45 am: Featured presentations related to ‘Communications as a Conservation Strategy
10:45 am – 11:45 am: Conference attendees will work in small groups and discuss ways to identify an audience they aren’t yet reaching, learn what perspectives or partners are needed, and what communication format would make a conservation message resonate with the intended audience.
11:45 am – 1:30pm: Lunch on your own
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Scientific Program with a break
4:00 – 6:00pm: Special Session: Networking Tables and Student/Career Development Discussions. Light appetizers available.
Wednesday, Dec. 9
The Marriott Anchorage Downtown Hotel
8:30 am – 8:45 am: Introductions
8:45 am – 9:45 am: Invited speaker Nick Bayly, “The tropical connection: conserving Alaska’s long-distance migrants in the Neotropics”
9:45 am – 10:15 am: Break
10:15 am – 10:45 am: Featured presentations on full annual cycle conservation
10:45 am – 11:45 am: Panel discussion, with audience participation, that will focus on two questions: 1) How does Alaska-based breeding bird monitoring and bird migration data fit into winter habitat conservation actions and 2) How can Alaska organizations support research and conservation efforts on the nonbreeding grounds (funding, equipment, student projects, etc.)
11:45 am – 1:30 pm: Lunch on your own
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Scientific Program (concurrent sessions) with a break
4:00 – 6:00pm: Special Session: Poster Session. Light appetizers available.
Thursday, Dec. 10
The Marriott Anchorage Downtown Hotel
8:30 am – 8:45 am: Introductions
8:45 am – 9:45 am: Invited speaker Chris Wood, “Advancing Bird Monitoring in Alaska: Building from eBird to Decision-Ready Data”
9:45 am – 10:15 am: Break
10:15 am – 10:45 am: Featured presentations on eBird data and monitoring
10:45 am – 11:45 am: Panel discussion that will focus on two questions: 1) How to better integrate eBird into Alaska’s bird monitoring portfolio and 2) how to bridge the gap between inventory and monitoring and decision support. This moderated discussion will include opportunities for the audience to ask questions and participate in the discussion.
11:15 am – 1:30 pm: Lunch on your own
1:30 pm – 4:00 pm: Scientific program (concurrent sessions) with a break
5:30 pm- 7:30pm: Special Session: Award Presentations and Closing Comments. Dinner provided.
Friday, Dec. 11
U.S. Geological Survey Alaska Science Center conference room
8:30am – noon: Fundamentals of eBird Data Access – Led by Matt Strimas-Mackey, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Workshop Overview
This eBird workshop introduces participants to the fundamental tools and pathways for accessing eBird data. Attendees will learn how to navigate key data products (raw observations in the eBird Basic Dataset and modeled eBird Status & Trend products), understand their structure, and apply best practices for responsible data use. We will use an Alaska‑focused case study (oil spill response) to demonstrate how users can use raw and modeled eBird products in a real-world application.
Workshop Prerequisites & Preparation
This workshop is intended to be interactive. All examples are written in the R programming language, and the instructor will work through the examples in real time, while the attendees are encouraged following along by writing the same code. To ensure we can avoid any unnecessary delays, please follow these setup instructions prior to the workshop:
- Create an eBird account if you don’t already have one and request access to the raw eBird data and/or the eBird Status data products:
- Best Practices for Using eBird Data: request access to the eBird Basic Dataset.
- eBird Status and Trends: request access to the eBird Status data products
- Download and install the latest version of R. You must have R version 4.0.0 or newer to follow along with this workshop
- Download and install the latest version of RStudio. RStudio is not required for this workshop; however, the instructors will be using it and you may find it easier to following along if you’re working in the same environment.
Contact Zak Pohlen at zachary_pohlen@fws.gov to sign up for the workshop. We encourage in-person attendance, but a virtual option is available.
1pm-5pm: Google Earth Engine for Flyway Conservation: Monitoring Habitat Change Across the Full Annual Cycle – Led by Dr. Patrick Donnelly, Ducks Unlimited and University of Montana
Workshop Overview
This workshop explores the growing power of Google Earth Engine (GEE), a planetary-scale geospatial platform for ecosystem analysis. The objective is to introduce natural resource professionals to GEE’s core concepts and workflows, its utility for efficiently monitoring flyway change across full annual cycles, and its potential impacts on migratory bird communities. The introduction will draw on examples from systems ecology, natural resource conservation, and wildlife management.
Workshop Prerequisites & Preparation
To participate in the hands-on exercises, please review and complete the following before the workshop:
- Google Earth Engine Account Setup: You must have an active Google Earth Engine account set up prior to attending.
- If you do not have an account, sign up at the Google Earth Engine Registration Page using a Google or Gmail account.
- Follow the prompts to register your account for non-commercial/academic use or link it with a Google Cloud Project. Account approval can take time, so please complete this step well in advance.
- Recommended Reading: Before attending, please review the official Get Started with Earth Engine User Guide to familiarize yourself with the interface, the JavaScript Code Editor, and basic Earth Engine concepts.
- Experience & Background: Prior coding experience and a basic understanding of remote sensing are encouraged, but they are not required. The workshop is designed to guide attendees through core workflows step-by-step.
Contact Jim Johnson at jim_a_johnson@fws.gov to sign up for the workshop.