Hi Ospreyers --

A friend of mine, Nate Diaz,  has asked me to alert Maryland birders and all concerned with bird conservation to an upcoming conference on a species in precipitous decline, the Rusty Blackbird.

Gail Mackiernan
Colesville, MD
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Announcement:

I urge conservation biologists, land managers, bird banders and amateur ornithologists who are interested in helping address the plight of Rusty Blackbirds to consider attending the following important workshop.  As a bonus, it is taking place at a *superb* birding spot during fall migration.

Feel free to send questions about the workshop to me at the below address, or to:
Russ Greenberg ()

Nathan Dias
Executive Director
Cape Romain Bird Observatory
http://www.crbo.net/

843-607-0105

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The International Rusty Blackbird Technical Group (IRBTG) is planning our next workshop on UNDERSTANDING AND REVERSING POPULATION DECLINES IN THE RUSTY BLACKBIRD (EUPHAGUS CAROLINUS) for 9-11 October 2008 at the
Powdermill Avian Research Center in Rector, PA.    The workshop theme is:  Now that we have captured people’s attention, how do we best move forward to save the species?

For more information, or to fill out an online registration form, please visit the following web page:
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/ConservationAndScience/MigratoryBirds/Research/Rusty_Blackbird/workshop_09/default.cfm
(  A more palatable URL is: http://tinyurl.com/5g8638  )


As with past workshops, the group's successful progress in addressing critical research, monitoring, conservation, management and other information needs regarding Rusties depends upon active engagement by those partners with interest and responsibility for this species - in particular state wildlife agencies.

The upcoming workshop intends to build upon the momentum of past workshops, and will cover many traditional topics such as breeding and wintering ground research, theories and assumptions regarding the precipitous declines, monitoring needs, engaging citizen science, promoting appropriate conservation and management, and planning research and monitoring strategies for the future.   We are planning open discussion sessions and other interactive approaches to advance thinking and progress on all of these issues.

Some specific topics include:
* What do we know about Rusties and their decline?

* How can we expand our population monitoring tools efficiently

* Can we develop a rapid assessment for locating blackbird hotspots in the winter?

* Are we getting the data we need to test hypotheses for the decline?

* What management strategies can we test and employ while we wait for the final answers?

* and more...

LOGISTICS:

Presentations and discussions will take place on October 9 and 10 with banding demonstrations and workshop on the morning of the 11th.  We are
emphasizing discussion and informal presentations of information organized around focused themes. Presentation of research results will be limited to short time slots for most oral/ppt reports and posters.

Please notify the program committee () if you want to present, so we can determine the most appropriate format.

Participants may also go birding on the Powdermill grounds during their spare time.  Fall migration there is legendary!

On-site (shared) lodging is available at Powdermill for a slight fee (around $25 per night).  Lodging assistance will be available for students.

We will make every effort to provide ground shuttle transportation to and from the Pittsburgh International Airport.  Please provide whatever information you can regarding your arrival and departure so we can begin
to arrange the local travel logistics.

Conference registration fee: $30 -- $15 for students or post docs. Make checks payable to the Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh and mail to:

Bob Mulvihill
Powdermill Avian Research Center
1847 Route 381
Rector, PA 15677

* In addition to this fee, the conference will be partially supported by the USFWS Division of Migratory Birds and the Cape Romain Bird Observatory.  Therefore, it is likely that most of the accommodations, snacks, and lunches will be subsidized for up to 25-30 participants! If we have a bigger turn-out, then registrants may need to pay directly for their accommodations (roughly $30/night). So it pays to register early!!