Bird lovers across the region are invited to get to know their "neighbors" by signing up for the course Spring Field Ornithology (SFO) offered by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology.

This eight-week course is an opportunity for bird enthusiasts to learn more about many of the birds that visit their feeders in winter as well as those that have just returned to their upstate New York breeding or migratory feeding grounds after spending the winter in the tropics. The course consists of Wednesday evening lectures covering topics such as "How to identify birds and use binoculars," "Bird song and courtship" and "Neotropical songbird conservation." Participants can opt to take part in field trips to local birding "hot spots" and even to venture on an overnight birding experience to Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge (formerly Brigantine) in New Jersey, one of the premier birding locales in the East.

The course begins March 28 and runs through May 20. The cost is $105 for lectures or field trips only, $195 for both. (Lab of Ornithology members and members-to-be receive discounts.) Space is limited and going fast, so anyone interested is encouraged to call the lab right away at (607) 254-2473 or (800) 843-2473. Visit SFO on the lab's web site at http://birds.cornell.edu/sfo .

Spring Field Ornithology has been a mainstay for almost a quarter century. It is led by Stephen W. Kress, the National Audubon Society's vice president for bird conservation. Based at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Kress is widely known for his work on Atlantic puffins off the coast of Maine. For the field trip portion of the course, Kress is joined by some of the area's best birding experts.

"Spring Field Ornithology provides an ideal opportunity, not only for beginning birders to tap into the area's considerable birding expertise and learn more about birds, but for more advanced birders to hone up on their skills," says Kress. "And the best part is, the birds themselves do much of the teaching, and they have amazing things to say."

Other related websites:

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.birds.cornell.edu/