Birding

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

Lord Highmaster Cardinal supervising the bird feeders in Camden, Arkansas.

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[Foggy]

Well fed, it seems.

[pipistrelle]

Well fed, it seems.

Mmmm, that poofiness screams: DAMN, it’s cold.

Edit: Birds fluff to stay warm.

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

It was in the 20's when I took that pic.

[pipistrelle]

It was in the 20's when I took that pic.

Fluffing temps.

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

Name change: Lord High Floofiness Cardinal.

[RVInit]

Name change: Lord High Floofiness Cardinal.

[tek]

new babby ducks on the pond!

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[Volkonski]

Our pecan trees lost their leaves several weeks ago but the pecans continue to fall onto our patio. Every day or so Mrs. V. goes out and crushes the pecans so that smaller birds that can't get thru the shells can eat them.

The birds get to eat and our cat gets hours of entertainment watching the birds eat.

[Azastan]

Our pecan trees lost their leaves several weeks ago but the pecans continue to fall onto our patio. Every day or so Mrs. V. goes out and crushes the pecans so that smaller birds that can't get thru the shells can eat them.

The birds get to eat and our cat gets hours of entertainment watching the birds eat.

I throw handfuls of black oil seed sunflower so that the juncos can chow down during the winter. Of course, I do it in front of the windows so that the cats can sit on the windowsill and chatter at the juncos.

[jez]

So, here is a silly question. How does one get into "birding"? I've always enjoyed watching the birds flit around. My dad always had bird houses and bird feeders in the back yard. Even made a "Squirrel Condo" so they would leave the birdhouse alone. (Two stories, with two nesting areas for the squirrels with big holes for them.)

We have birds here that flit around the back yard, driving the cats bonkers because they like to sit on the brick ledge that goes around the house. But I can't tell a sparrow from a finch. Or whatever is around here.

But I do like to watch them when I get a chance.

[Volkonski]

Birding is just like train spotting but with birds.

https://www.audubon.org/birding

[Estiveo]

I keep an Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds (Western Edition) handy. The photos make identification easy, the information pages are great, and the indexes have space for you to mark off the birds you've identified.

[Chilidog]

Go for a hike in the woods.

Winter is actually a great time to see different types.

Last Sunday, my son and I went out and saw northern hsrriers, red tailed Hawks, a rough legged hawk, a cooper's hawk a colony of long eared owls, a saw whet owl, and a handful of eastern bluebirds as well as various sparrows, Juncos.

Learn to identify one bird at a time. Some birds have distinctive calls. You don't have to see them to identify them. Redwing blackbirds are my favorite calls.

Download ebird to see whats been sited in your area. We would have never spotted the owls if other birders out that day didn't point them out. A good field book is nice, but the merlin app works.

The toughest part is the cost. Quality glass (binoculars) gets pricy in a hurry. My son has a good pair of beginner binoculars (Nikon monarch 4) and they cost a bit over $400.

I have a cheaper pair of vortex that that cost about $275. They are actually a good deal.

Top end glass can run into the thousands. And it absolutely does make a difference. Camera rigs are another deal entirely.

But most of all, get out to the woods, the girls, the harbor, the Marsh. Water fowl are fun to identify. Enjoy the outdoors.

[pipistrelle]

Merlin (app) for identification or the Cornell bird website.

eBird (app) for finding out what's been spotted in the area you're in and for tracking what you've seen on your walks.

Binoculars are good too. If budget's a concern, I wonder if you can get them used cheap.

[Azastan]

So, here is a silly question. How does one get into "birding"? I've always enjoyed watching the birds flit around. My dad always had bird houses and bird feeders in the back yard. Even made a "Squirrel Condo" so they would leave the birdhouse alone. (Two stories, with two nesting areas for the squirrels with big holes for them.)

We have birds here that flit around the back yard, driving the cats bonkers because they like to sit on the brick ledge that goes around the house. But I can't tell a sparrow from a finch. Or whatever is around here.

But I do like to watch them when I get a chance.

You almost certainly have a 'Guide to Backyard Birds of -------- (fill in your city)' that will have depictions of the most common birds found in your area. It's good to start with learning your local birds, just so you can get the hang of figuring out what is common, and what is not. Once you get familiar with your local birds, you will start to notice the ones which you don't see on a daily basis, and then you can identify those ones as well. Don't forget that not every bird is going to be seen in the day--owls are a good example! Try to learn bird songs if you can, which can alert you to those birds which skulk in bushes, too.

If you are on Facebook, there is going to be a reasonably local page for birders. For instance, here in Washington State we have Western Washington Birders, Pacific Northwest Birds, Inland Northwest Birders, and for birds rarely found in Washington State, there's the advanced group of Washington Rare Bird Alert.

Try to get photos and post them. Most birding groups are happy to help you figure out what you've got.

[pipistrelle]

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/

[RVInit]

I would make the same recommendation as others. If you personally know a birder, ask if you can tag along on a hike to learn the ropes. Birders are typically very receptive to helping a newbie get into the swing of things, will often share information on their favorite bird guide books and websites. If you don't know anyone, contact the local Audubon Society, they often organize birding hikes and will happily help you get started. Once you've been on a hike or two with an experienced birder, you will find that you'll be comfortable going on outings alone. I keep a set of binoculars in my car and often stop on a whim when I'm out and about. If I am ever driving to any place where I know I will be passing by undeveloped or relatively undeveloped areas, I make sure I take my binoculars. You never know when you might have a really super good birding day.

Don't be shy about hiking a nice birding trail if there is a light misting rain either, those are some of the best birding days I have ever had. You would be surprised at how a misting rain will bring the birds out.

[MsDaisy]

All you need is a window, a bird feeder and a book. I babysat my two grandkids 3 days a week from birth to school and they grew up at this table with that book. Today they can name every bird that lands on that feeder.

A quick hint on bird feeder placement and protection, it needs to be on a tall pole squirrels can’t climb or drop down on from a tree or nearby structure. Mine is on a small cut cedar tree covered by a long PVC pipe. They can’t climb the plastic pipe and neither can raccoons. We've had a couple feeders destroyed by raccoons.

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[Tiredretiredlawyer]

My mom and dad were house birders. They didn't walk trails, just fed birds and cursed the squirrels. I learned a lot about birds from them. They had a telescope at the ready.

I don't use binoculars, just my glasses. I would check out the most common birds in your area first. Once you become alert to the types you will notice them everywhere (like buying a certain car, they are everywhere.)

In central Arkansas, the common birds are easily distinguished - the blue jay, the red male cardinal, the small brown wren with the tail tilted at 45 degrees, the nuthatch who walks DOWN the tree, the downy woodpecker with convict black and white stripes and a red yarmulke, the robin with a brown coat and orange/red waistcoat.

My challenge for the last two years was to learn their songs. Like Chilidog, my favorite call is that of the red wing blackbird. It reminds me of growing up on the prairie in Stuttgart, Arkansas.

[Azastan]

My challenge for the last two years was to learn their songs. Like Chilidog, my favorite call is that of the red wing blackbird. It reminds me of growing up on the prairie in Stuttgart, Arkansas.

Favourite bird call of PNWers is that of the Varied Thrush. MAGICAL!

[MN-Skeptic]

Merlin (app) for identification or the Cornell bird website.

eBird (app) for finding out what's been spotted in the area you're in and for tracking what you've seen on your walks.

Binoculars are good too. If budget's a concern, I wonder if you can get them used cheap.

I just downloaded the Merlin app along with their database for birds of the Midwest (796.9MB). You can have it show you the most common birds for your area at this time of year and that is so cool! I've been playing the different songs of the birds and I recognize so many.

[AndyinPA]

In central Arkansas, the common birds are easily distinguished - the blue jay, the red male cardinal, the small brown wren with the tail tilted at 45 degrees, the nuthatch who walks DOWN the tree, the downy woodpecker with convict black and white stripes and a red yarmulke, the robin with a brown coat and orange/red waistcoat.

Here in Southwestern Pennsylvania, the common birds are almost identical. I would add the chickadee and mourning doves.

I also love the song of the red wing blackbird.

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

https://www.treehugger.com/get-outside- ... nt-5219461

Get Outside for the Great Backyard Bird Count
It only takes 15 minutes out in nature.
The 25th edition of the Great Backyard Bird Count takes place Feb. 18 through 21 as researchers ask citizen scientists around the globe to help them track changes to bird populations over time.

The count is a joint project from the National Audubon Society, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and Birds Canada.

To take part, people need to watch birds for 15 minutes or more at least once over the four-day period and count all the birds they see and hear during that time. The information can be entered on a computer or through an app such as eBird or the Merlin Bird ID app.1

https://ebird.org/gbbc/livesubs

[Phoenix520]

We have a sycamore that I can see from the kitchen window. Last week I watched three woodpeckers make nests in bolls on one branch. If I’m lucky I’ll be around during fledging time.