| I've been a bird watcher for most of my days. | | | | City. During the winter there are tens of |
| I became a bird nerd while a teenager and | | | | thousands of these magnificent birds in New |
| would skip school during the major migrations | | | | Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. The millions |
| to watch the birds. The truant officers | | | | of people who live in this area, if they will |
| frowned on this and would come out looking | | | | take the time to do it, can easily view them. |
| for me. They seldom got as far out in the | | | | |
| boonies as I did. | | | | To view birds start with a pair of good |
| | | | binoculars. I like 8 X 35, but you can get a |
| My home state of Utah was 85,000 square miles | | | | more powerful pair if you like. If you do, |
| of good birding territory with almost 500 | | | | you may want to have a pair that has |
| species of birds due to the variation in | | | | adjustable magnification. A spotting scope |
| climate, altitude, and terrain. There was a | | | | with an adaptor for mounting it on your car |
| good population of waterfowl and shorebirds. | | | | window is good when watching birds in a |
| It was not difficult to see 100 species in a | | | | refuge. You can mount a camera to it. Get a |
| day. | | | | tripod. |
| | | | |
| Birding on the gun clubs and reserves near | | | | I have a pair of binoculars with a camera |
| Great Salt Lake was a major pastime. At times | | | | built in. I haven't used it yet, but I'm sure |
| we would hitchhike the 80 miles north of Salt | | | | I will enjoy it. |
| Lake City to the Bear River Bird Refuge 14 | | | | |
| miles west of Brigham City. I'm not sure what | | | | You will need a field guide for your area. |
| its status is now but when I was young it was | | | | |
| the largest bird refuge in the world. | | | | Carefully read the descriptions. Remember |
| | | | that birds are creatures of habitat and you |
| In recent years, the Great Salt Lake has | | | | will find them in the particular habitats |
| risen and it covered the bird reserves for | | | | described in the guides. |
| some time. The reserves are coming back but | | | | |
| birding is not like it was in our day. Still, | | | | Note their migrations. |
| I like to drive out to Bear River and think | | | | |
| about what it was like and hopefully will be | | | | Maps in the guide will tell you which times |
| again. | | | | of the year you will be able to see specific |
| | | | birds. I suggest that you buy at least two |
| The thing about birding is that you can do it | | | | guides that cover your area. |
| in the city or country, on land or sea, at | | | | |
| work (sometimes) or on vacation, or even when | | | | Visit a local bird club (like Audubon) to |
| sick in bed. If you can't get to the birds | | | | meet people who know birds and who will help |
| you can get them to come to you by designing | | | | you identify birds on field trips. Some of |
| your yard as a bird habitat. | | | | these folks may be a bit quirkier than other |
| | | | people you have met, but they are most always |
| Bird study is like painting a landscape. | | | | friendly, helpful, and intelligent. There |
| There is no clock and there is no hurry. It's | | | | will probably be a professor or two at each |
| a time of complete relaxation and exclusion | | | | meeting. You will be in good company. |
| of the cares of the world. If you are not an | | | | |
| artist, its doing something that requires | | | | I was in St. Louis just before Christmas and |
| your total attention and excludes all other | | | | I went birding with my son. It felt warm when |
| activities. | | | | I left the house, so I didn't dress for the |
| | | | weather that suddenly chilled. When you are |
| Most birders keep a list of their sightings. | | | | old, you are cold. While I was sitting in the |
| Some record in detail what they see, others | | | | car waiting for my son, he saw a Piliated |
| just check the bird off in the back of their | | | | Woodpecker. |
| bird guides. Many photograph the birds they | | | | |
| see, a hobby in a hobby. | | | | The Piliated is a very large bird, the size |
| | | | of a crow, and always exciting to see. |
| Some years back I vidio taped the history of | | | | Fortunately, my son photographed the bird and |
| the Canada Goose for a total year. From the | | | | I was able to see it, a male. So don't do as |
| time they are born until the time of their | | | | I did. Dress warmly in the winter. |
| first migration is just over 80 days. I | | | | |
| enjoyed watching the geese that wintered in | | | | Recently, the Ivory Billed Woodpecker, which |
| South New Jersey, the mating rituals in the | | | | is even larger than the Piliated Woodpecker, |
| spring, the raising of the young, and the | | | | was rediscovered. Over the years sightings |
| migration flights. I indend to put these | | | | have straggled in, but many thought the bird |
| tapes on DVD for future enjoyment. | | | | was extinct in the United States. This great |
| | | | creature is every birders dream to see. See |
| During the period that I studied the geese, I | | | | it at |
| photographed thousands of snow geese at the | | | | |
| George Forsythe Bird Refuge near Atlantic | | | | That's why folks watch birds. |