People we admire for having a particular expertise have one thing in common: They started as novices. The ones who became accomplished did so because of a willingness to put in the time and effort, sometimes mixed with sheer perseverance.
Fortunately, bird-watching does not require advanced degrees or expensive equipment to become a knowledgeable birder. Best of all, it’s an avocation that includes many willing to share their expertise with beginners.
The trick to success for new bird-watchers is to not be discouraged by what you don’t know, but to be encouraged by what you are learning; and to enjoy the birds and the experience without worrying how many birds are on your life list.
You don’t have to go to Costa Rica to enjoy your feathered friends. Birds can be as close as your backyard or a nearby park.
There’s no need to memorize all the birds and their habits in the 544-page “The Sibley Guide to Birds.” Discouragement is but a few pages away if you attempt “Molt in North American Birds.”
Start with one of the regional books that focus on the most likely to be seen birds in an area, such as “The Birds of Washington State,” “The Birds of the Pacific Northwest Coast” or “Birds of the Puget Sound Region.”
Be a kid again and work with the excellent “Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of North America” or “Finding Your Wings: A Workbook for Beginning Bird Watchers.” Have fun with “The Bird Watching Answer Book.”
At your computer, search for best birding websites. You may not surface for hours because you’re having so much fun exploring the visual and auditory options.
Another good way to start is Craig and Joy Johnson’s DVD “Birds, Backyard Habitat &Beyond.” Even in a developed neighborhood on Whidbey Island, the Johnsons have seen 74 species on their ½-acre property.
The secret to their success is that there is no secret. The right mix of habitat essentials, a love of birds and the willingness to look on a regular basis is what it takes.
The DVD uses video clips, illustrations and photographs. Almost all video and photographs include the name of the bird seen on the screen. The videos often include calls or songs, an opportunity to use your ears as well as your eyes.
They go beyond identification issues by addressing bird behaviors, a new area of exploration for most beginning birders. Enjoy several birds sunning themselves, including a Cooper’s hawk; a flicker hunting for ants (80 percent of a flicker’s diet); birds preening and taking dirt baths, and the interplay between adults and juveniles.
Another lesson to be gleaned from the DVD is that even if you can’t go far from home, of if you have mobility issues, birding is still accessible. Bird feeders, for instance, bring the birds to you.
Craig Johnson has his own mobility issues because of a neurological disorder. But the right habitat, his love of birds, a motorized cart and a camera, Johnson can go to the birds, and with his photographs, bring the birds back to you.
Another resource is the Johnsons’ website: www.pugetsoundbackyardbirds.com, which includes videos and photographs.
Even if you don’t have a backyard, there are still many opportunities to learn about birds. Test the waters by joining a Pilchuck Audubon Society (pilchuckaudubon.org) birdwatching outing led by an experienced birder.
Join Pilchuck and surround yourself with people who have the same interest and are unselfish with sharing their experiences.
And with Christmas coming, start making a birding wish list for Santa.
Above all, enjoy the journey.
Columnist Sharon Wootton can be reached at 360-468-3964 or www.songandword.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
