Spark birds are a great way for communities to come together and learn more about each other and outreaching to new birders!

Schedule your spark bird workshop today! Workshops can be done virtually or in person. They typically last about an hour with about 10-15 minutes to introduce the project then time for attendees and/or selected individuals to share their stories but can be full day programs with outings and retrospective nature journaling sessions. Depending on the extent of sharing, there can be example stories from spark bird participants and/or discussion of key themes and findings based on what was shared during the program. The program closes with time for discussion of the benefits of birding and opportunities for the birding community as well as questions folks might have about the project. Longer programs can allow more time for attendees to engage with the retrospective nature journaling and storytelling components of the project.

Prefer an outing or want to add on an outing to a workshop day? Spark bird outings encourage birders to bring their bird curious friends and support them through a Birding 101 explore. Outings are inclusive and accessible with options for folks who want to have a faster or slower pace to kick off their birding. 

Other ideas? Happy to help from virtual team building to survey development to consulting as a field psychologist on how to make your research station, travel experience, etc. more welcoming. Reach out with your idea!

An honorarium is appreciated for virtual ($150 non-profits, $1500 corporate) and in person ($300 non-profits, $3000 corporate) programs. In person programs should also include travel, lodging, and meals whenever possible but we can also work to coordinate travel with other groups and professional obligations.  Alternative arrangements can always be made for small non-profits and the honorarium is waived for young birder groups and partner organizations! Flexible on scope of travel and timing. Interested in learning how to lead a spark bird program? Contact us today!

Virtual Programs & In Person Programs Available

February 12, 2026: The Spark Bird Project will be virtual with The Flock Birding Community. Stay tuned for more information!

March 3-8, 2026: The Spark Bird Project will be in the NYC/NJ area for a series of programs. Stay tuned for more info and reach out if you have a group who would be interested in programming during that time!

March 19, 2026: The Spark Bird Project will be virtual with Eckert Crane Days. Stay tuned for more information!

March 23, 2026: The Spark Bird Project will be with the University of New Hampshire's Field Ornithology class

April 14-18: The Spark Bird Project will at the Albanian Ornithological Society's Vlora-Narta Birding Ringing and Art Residency. Excited for our European debut! 

May 2026: The Spark Bird Project will be part of Biggest Week in American Birding! Come share your story at the workshop on Saturday, May 16 from 8am-12pm, make sure to drop by our table throughout the festival, and look for Jenn guiding and volunteering! Visit https://www.biggestweekinamericanbirding.com/art-workshops.html for more info!

February 8, 2027: The Spark Bird Project will be virtual with the Toronto Ornithological Society. Stay tuned for more information!

TBD: The Spark Bird Project will be with Presque Isle Audubon. Stay tuned for more information!

Past Programs

• January 31, 2026: The Spark Bird Project was with Buffalo Audubon's Birding Challenge. 

• January 7, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was with Tropical Audubon. 

• December 4, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was virtual with John Muir Laws to kick off the end of year art incentive. 

• December 4, 2025: The Spark Bird Project led the final conversation in the 2025 Wild America Book Read series for the Roger Tory Peterson Institute discussing Return to Wild America by Pulitzer-nominated Scott Weidensaul.

• November 18, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was with the Northeast Ohio Young Birders.

• November 12, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was with the State of Social Science in Bird Conservation conversation. Watch the recording at https://r2rbirds.org/state-of-social-science-in-bird-conservation/! 

• October 26, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was at the Buffalo Fancy Pigeon Club

• October 18, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was with Birdability in Iowa City to celebrate Birdability Week with a talk at Sacred Collective

• October 17, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was at the UIUC Natural Resources and Environmental Science seminar series

• October 8, 2025: Wild America Book Read Series with Roger Tory Peterson Institute -- Looking for the Wild, Lyn Hancock

• October 4, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was at Reinstein Woods' DEC Wildlife Day with the WNY Young Birders Club

• October 1, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was live on Birding with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service's Cup Chat. You can watch the recording at https://fb.watch/CsVwN_h3Ao/! 

• September 18, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's socio-ecological research meeting

• September 13, 2025: The Spark Bird Project presented at the Urban Birding Festival

• September 11, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was at the Wabash Valley Audubon Society

• September 10, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was at the Buffalo Ornithological Society

• August 12, 2025: Wild America Book Read Series with Roger Tory Peterson Institute -- Kingbird Highway, Kenn Kaufman

• August 6-10, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was at the Southeast Arizona Birding Festival

• June 27, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was at the Association for Research in Personality

• June 2, 2025: Wild America Book Read Series with Roger Tory Peterson Institute -- Wild America, Roger Tory Peterson & James Fisher - recording available on request

• May 4, 2025: May the Spark Be with You walk with FBC Buffalo at Forest Lawn

• April 3, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was with Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center

• March 13 & 15, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was at Aradar Galleries in NYC on March 13 and Stubblefield Photography and Fine art in Jersey City on March 15

• March 1, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was at the Buffalo Audubon Society

• February 12, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was virtual with the University of New Hampshire's Field Ornithology class

• February 7, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was virtual with Birdability for an artistic workshop with John Muir Laws to create art around spark bird stories. 

• January 27, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was virtual with the SUNY ESF Guy A. Baldassarre Birding Club

• January 23, 2025: The Spark Bird Project was virtual with Birdability for a writing salon to create spark bird stories

• December 19, 2024: The Spark Bird Project was virtual with The Nature Journal Workshop with Wild Wonder

• October 27, 2024: The Spark Bird Project was part of Birdability Week 2024

• September 28, 2024: TSBP was part of Xperience for All at the Adirondack Experience

• April 29, 2024: The Spark Bird Project was with the Birdability Captains

• April 16, 2024: The Spark Bird Project was be part of the Great Salt Lake Audubon's Birds & Bites series

• April 13, 2024: The Spark Bird Project was part of the first Buffalo Bird Festival at the University of Buffalo

• March 18, 2024: The Spark Bird Project was virtual with Feminist Bird Club Chicago

• March 5, 2024: The Spark Bird Project was virtual with Michigan Audubon. Michigan Audubon members can access the recording of the program through their member portal. 

• January 31, 2024: The Spark Bird Project was virtual with Central Westchester Audubon and Saw Mill River Audubon

• December 2, 2023: The Spark Bird Project was with Earth Spirit at the Park School of Buffalo for a member's owl prowl event

• Sept. 23, 2023: The Spark Bird Project was part of the lunchtime paper sessions at the 2023 New York Birders Conference

• July 15, 2023: The Spark Bird Project was the feature talk of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute Summer Soiree event
  June 3, 2023: The Spark Bird Project was part of the Allegany Nature Pilgrimage

• May 4, 2023: Roger Tory Peterson Institute hosted a virtual program about The Spark Bird Project with a special feature of learning more about the spark bird experiences of artists featured in their “Hope is a Thing with Feathers” exhibit. You can learn more about the event at https://rtpi.org/events/spark-bird-program-with-jennifer-lodi-smith/ and visit https://vimeo.com/827355808 to see the recording.

• August 9, 2022: Hog Island Audubon Family Camp

Interested in having a program about The Spark Bird Project for your organization or event?  Reach out to project director, Jenn Lodi-Smith, at lodismij@canisius.edu to set up in person or virtual programming.