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BIRDING BASICS Start a lifelong journey of bird watching By Thomas Bancroft, Ornithologist & Mountaineers Leader On the boardwalk at the Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge. Photo by Donna Hahn.
T
he Black-capped Chickadee flitted through the fir branches. It was about the size of two ping-pong balls, and nimble – it twisted, turned, and darted through my Seattle neighborhood. This bird is common across much of North America and always brings a sense of joy each time I see one. In fact, it may be one of the first birds I learned to identify when my mother caught me sitting in the kitchen sink, watching birds coming to her feeders. I was five, and she patiently stood behind me naming each species. Almost 65 years later I remain delighted by these incredible creatures, and I would like to share with you some of the lessons I have learned in my many (well-spent) years of birdwatching.
Why choose birding? Curiosity and patience are the only prerequisites to birding. It’s a hobby that can be done anywhere; out the kitchen window, in your neighborhood, or on a backpacking trip into the backcountry. Most birds are out in the day, and they occur in all habitats; busy cities, wild deserts, oceans, and from valleys to mountaintops. I’ve watched Pied-billed Grebes and Buffleheads dive for food in the little ponds at Magnuson Park, Dark-eyed Juncos sing from branches sticking over the meadows at St. Edwards Park, and American Pipits feed in the alpine meadows of Mt. Baker. As a birder, I know there is always more to see and something new around the next corner. One spring in Umtanum Canyon, a hen turkey shot out from behind a shrub and began to charge us. She spread her wings and darted toward us before running off, squawking and flapping her wings. We had inadvertently scared her off her nest, and left quickly so she could return to her mothering. Being able to identify and understand these animals adds an entirely new dimension to our time outdoors. 50
mountaineer | fall 2020
Tools of the trade One of the best parts of birding is the ease of entrance; a pair of binoculars and a method of identification are all you need to get started. A seven or eight-power pair is perfect, as more power can make it harder to hold the binoculars still. Audubon’s nature shops or an outdoor retail shop will often have multiple kinds to let you get a feel for what works best for you. For instance, glasses wearers should find binoculars that work with them. A good bird book and the Merlin App for smartphones will get you far. Books come in many forms; some use paintings, others drawings or photographs, and they often present the characteristics to check in different ways. The most important thing is to pick one that works for you. Another big decision is choosing a national or regional birding book. For a starter book I often recommend one for the west, because it will be focused on just the birds west of the Mississippi. Peterson and Sibley make popular western ones, and regional ones by John Shewey or Tom Aversa are good too. Available for both iPhone and Android, the Merlin app is free and produced by the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. The app is interactive and very helpful to new birders developing their identification skills. Cornell has produced bird identification packs for most of the world, making Merlin an excellent travel partner.
Key tips It’s easy to be overwhelmed with the vast numbers of birds found in the northwest, each with a different set of plumages, calls, and behaviors. Here are a few tips to keep in mind to start you out on the right foot: