Backyard Birds: Seeing, Photographing, and Understanding the Birds Around You A five-week online journey into the birds right outside your door. Birds are some of the most present—and most overlooked—wildlife in our lives. Backyard Birds Live is a five-week online class series designed to help you slow down, notice more, and build a deeper connection with the birds you already share space with—while also improving your photography along the way. Hosted by Jen Waicukauski of Looking Glass Photo, this course blends bird identification, behavior, photography fundamentals, and shared observation into a welcoming, curiosity-driven learning experience. Whether you’re photographing with a camera or simply watching with binoculars (or coffee in hand), this class meets you where you are. Course Format Schedule: One session per week for five consecutive Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM Duration: ~ 1.5 to 2 hours per session Platform: Live online via Zoom Recording: Each live session is recorded Limited to 10 participants Join Jen and a small group of fellow bird lovers live each week on Zoom. Includes: Live participation in all five sessions Real-time Q&A and discussion Weekly image sharing and feedback Access to all session recordings for one month after the final class A more personal, interactive learning experience This option is ideal if you enjoy conversation, community, and learning in real time. What You’ll Learn 📷 Photography Essentials Learn how to make stronger bird photographs through better understanding of camera settings, lenses, light, composition, and basic editing. The focus is on practical, repeatable skills—not gear pressure or perfection. 🐦 Bird Identification Get better at recognizing common backyard birds by shape, size, behavior, and markings. We’ll talk through how to narrow down IDs and what details matter most. 🌱 Bird Behavior & Habitat Understanding how birds live helps you anticipate moments worth photographing. We’ll explore feeding patterns, seasonal behavior, and why certain birds show up when they do. 🌍 Community Science Tools An introduction to iNaturalist, eBird, and Merlin—how they work, why they matter, and how they can deepen both your bird knowledge and your sense of connection. Interactive & Community-Centered For live participants, each session includes space for: Image sharing (favorite shots, mystery birds, moments you’d like help improving) Open Q&A throughout the series Shared observations from your own backyard—what you’re seeing, hearing, and wondering This class isn’t about “getting it right.” It’s about paying attention, learning together, and finding joy in the everyday presence of birds.
