Birding - A Civilized Pastime

[Hemingway Jones]

My fiancé and I found a fun and civilized pastime. We go birding on the weekends.

All you need are some binoculars and a guide book, or an App, if you are so inclined.

It started with raptors for us; some Bald Eagles, Osprey and Red Shouldered Hawks in Ocala, FL, then six Bald Ealgles on Wenham Lake in Mass, a Black Bellied Whistling Duck in Concord -it made the most comical noise- and a Great Horned Owl on Plum Island. She is nesting which means owlets this spring. The Snowy Owl on Plum Island eluded us.

It's a nice walk outdoors, swathed in tweed and Wellies, waxed cotton jackets, with the joy of a safari and learning about song, habit, and identification of these delightful and sometime elusive creatures.

Am I just a total boffin or are any other Loungers into this? Any success with rare species?

 

[DNO]

My wife and I birded quite a bit about 8 or 9 years ago. It started tapering off when we had pretty well spotted all the species one could spot in our area, plus a number of strays. It a great hobby. We're contemplating getting back into it now that we've retired. Still have all the binoculars, spotting scope and guide.

We still stroll the neighbourhood and do some birding. We live near the bluffs in Toronto, which is on a major migration route, so we see quite a few nice birds. We see a lot of raptors, from Golden Eagles and Bald Eagles to Merlins. We also see a lot of warblers in the spring...those little guys are worth the effort on their own!

Rare species are very much based on location, of course, but we've seen quite a few. One winter we had an influx of owls and had great luck. We found several Boreal Owls...tough little guys to find!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I'm what I call a casual birdwatcher. I keep my eyes open but no longer go out specifically twitching, as I did when I was a kid.

My garden is something of a haven in my area, as one of the only ones with dense shrubberies and bushes, it attracts the smaller wrens etc. A pair of blackcaps (a novelty for me, being relatively new to southern England) seem to be setting up home in the area too, which is a nice sight. On the worrying side, the oft reported demise of house and tree sparrows is palpable. I don't think I've seen or heard a thrush of any kind in London, either.

I recommend the book Birdsong, a really fascinating and well written survey of the current knowledge of how birds learn their song, and the importance - especially for males - of having the "best" "correct" song.

 

[Shangas]

[video=youtube;yhuMLpdnOjY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhuMLpdnOjY[/video]

 

[LizzieMaine]

I strongly recommend the Merrimack Eagle Festival for New England birders who want to see some really impressive displays. I had the privilege of seeing a juvenile bald eagle dive bombed by a squadron of seagulls who resented his incursion into their airspace. The eagle, however, didn't seem to be too fazed by the experience.

Most of my birding is the neighborhood sort -- I have a feeder for the amusement of my cat, who enjoys putting cardinals and blue jays in their place from the wrong side of the window. My grandmother was an avid birder, who wrought the Wrath of God on any BB-gun carrying small boys who made the mistake of venturing into her part of the neighborhood,

 

[Bruce Wayne]

We too have a few feeders at my house. We get all the regular visitors for a Midwestern house. Cardinals, Blue Jays, Chickadees, various finches & sparrows, hawks, Mourning Doves, Brown-headed Cowbirds, Grackels, As it is now Winter we have Juncos. We had quite a few Red-winged Blackbirds yesterday displaying their colours. We have had Robins in our yard since January. In fact I saw two fighting yesterday trying to establish territory.

We get some stragglers every so often such as a Brown Thrasher, which looks like a cross between a Hawk & Jay, if you want my opinion. We had some wild Turkeys come through a few years back. From what I understand, someone in the area brought them up from Virginia.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Wild turkeys are everywhere here -- they'll even come into town and harass people on the sidewalk. Dumbest birds on earth.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Wild turkeys are everywhere here -- they'll even come into town and harass people on the sidewalk. Dumbest birds on earth.

Compared to domesticated turkeys, they're MENSA members.
Domesticated turkeys are dumb enough to stair up during a rain storm & drown. My Mother grew up on a turkey farm. She has one particulair story that's really terrible.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

From what I remember, wild turkeys were everywhere in central Indiana. Used to see tons of 'em on the drive up from Lafayette to Chicago; lots of hunting opportunities …

 

[Hemingway Jones]

We're chest deep in turkeys too! They are aggressive as well. They stroll across the turnpike at a leisurely pace.

We also have quite a few hawks lining our highways. I see two or three each time I leave. I'm not at the point that I can identify all of them on sight, but I would like to. Red Tails are fairly easy because of the red tail!

It's a fun hobby, but I'll remain a casual birder. I want it to stay fun.

 

[MisterCairo]

Until this thread I've never heard it called birding before, only bird watching! I'm into it casually, but I know a few relatives in Britain who are quite passionate. They'll travel great distances to go to places known for various species so they can bring their binoculars, cameras and note books and catch a glimpse! I admire them for their passion and knowledge.
Me, I'm more a bird watcher of opportunity!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

The "serious" birdwatchers for many people are on that list, including train spotters and aeroplane spotters, of people to be avoided, viewed with unnecessary suspicion. I must say that I find it difficult to understand what would motivate a "serious" birdwatcher (I always imagine a clique of chaps in Barbour jackets, looking down their very expensive binocular-clad noses at the "amateurs". "look at them, they wouldn't know a warbler from a chat! Haw haw.); I personally just find birds fascinating, beautiful and melodious (for the most part. Crows, though songbirds, are not melodious!).

But to each their own, I say.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

I don't know, Baron, I can appreciate someone enjoying the hunt of trying to see all the species available in some geographic area, or trying to acquire the skill to differentiate one specie of sparrow from the other; I can relate to that, I suppose. It's not a path for me. I wish I cared about most birds, but if it's not large, or colorful, or unique, or a hawk of some sort, I cannot get motivated to care what it is. I do love hawks though.

I do wear a Barbour though when I bird; perfect for the woods here! And so does the Mrs. But here that makes us the odd people out. The granola crowd wears Patagonia almost exclusively.

 

[flat-top]

My area is suppossedly loaded with wild turkeys, but I've only ever seen one once----on Thanksgiving a few years ago. It was trotting down the street very quickly, so of course I shouted out of the car window "Run for your life!!!!".

 

[LocktownDog]

You must see The Big Year. Pretty good comedy about birdwatchers ... Steve Martin, Jack Black.

 

[DamianM]

My area is suppossedly loaded with wild turkeys, but I've only ever seen one once----on Thanksgiving a few years ago. It was trotting down the street very quickly, so of course I shouted out of the car window "Run for your life!!!!".

Painted the picture in my head
That was funny!

 

[LoveMyHats2]

Bird watching is O.K., until they learn you own a nice black automobile.......

 

[Short Balding Guy]

I do enjoy birdwatching. In my area of Minnesota Fall presents us with the opportunity to watch the annual bird of prey migrations. Hawks, falcons, eagles, some owls, vultures and others all move thru the area following the natural currents from Canada along the Lake Superior corrider thru the Minnesota Mississippi River valley and on to their southern roosts. Fall is exciting with those birds, but they migrate following their food sources, smaller birds. Bird watching becomes much easier as the variety and sheer numbers is high.

Our neighborhood is populated with year around owls, birds of prey and many other birds. I live on a lake and the ducks and their relatives are plentiful. The variety and numbers make it easy to enjoy birdwatching.

I use binoculars and we have a spotting scope that we take out on the deck.

Oh yes, I wear a hat.

Clothing - Why I wear outdoor clothing that is appropriate for the day of course. Wool, waxed jackets and even Patagonia brand clothing.

Pic with glasses over the neck;

Pic taken in our nature reserve (few blocks away) with spotting scope case on the shoulder strap:

All the clothing options have their strengths and "moments in the sun." It is my preference, and luxuriuos indulgence to have a variety of stuff to wear. I enjoy the outdoors and birdwatching is one of the many activities that allows me to better appreciate my "neighborhood."

Best, Eric -

 

[Dixon Cannon]

My 1911 "birding" book with color photos. ≈

-dixon cannon

 

[DNO]

Obsessive birders are just like any obsessive type...a tad on the tedious side with a strong tilt toward arrogance. I try to avoid them.

Wild turkeys were pretty well eliminated up here until someone decided to reintroduce them. Now, they're pretty common. They sure do breed!