Before you know it, it will be spring migration, and you will begin to notice an increase of feathered friends in your backyard. Birds will be passing through as the weather shifts, searching for ideal food, resources, and habitat for their nesting season. If you want to explore more about migration patterns, Journey North is a great place to start! Based on observations reported by volunteers, these maps help us visualize when and where certain birds are traveling. Check out the different maps here.
Did you know there is a community dedicated to watching birds? Birdwatching, or birding, involves searching for birds in their natural habitat and identifying them by sight and/or sound. I was first introduced to birding in high school by my science teacher. He started a birdwatching club at our small school. We called ourselves the "Bird Nerds." We learned about the different species that are commonly found in Wisconsin. I never knew how many different kinds of birds were surrounding me!
Identifying birds has brought me a lot of joy since. I love to observe different species and how they behave in their environments. One of my favorite birds, the White-breasted Nuthatch, is often seen upside-down on the sides of tree trunks. These are one of the few birds to exhibit this behavior. Why do they do this exactly? The theory is that from this angle, they are able to forage for insects from a different perspective allowing them to find food that other birds have missed.
I enjoy photographing and drawing the birds I see as well. Taking photos of birds poses a fun challenge, as they do not always sit still! It is always so satisfying to capture a clear image of a bird in flight. Drawing birds is helpful for remembering how to ID them, as it requires you to pay close attention to tiny details you may have otherwise missed. You begin to ask yourself, are the feet webbed or lobed? Are the bills straight or curved? Does the bird have wing bars? Eye rings? All of these characteristics are important when it comes to identifying a bird species.
Bird watching also has great mental health benefits. Research has shown that increased time spent observing birds in nature reduces stress and encourages one to present and mindful. To learn more about how birding benefits your mental health and why you should start, check out this article by Time Magazine.
If you are feeling inspired to try birding yourself, here are some tips to get you started:
Download the Merlin Bird ID App. This user friendly bird guide is incredibly useful for identifying birds in your area. I would highly recommend checking out their sound ID feature. Simply record the birds around you, and the app will give you a list of the species it hears! Pretty neat!
Purchase a pair of binoculars. You don't have to spend a fortune when it comes to buying a pair of decent binoculars. Typically 8x42 is the recommended type of binoculars for birding. These numbers tell you the magnification and the size of the lens. For more information on choosing the correct pair that meets your budget and desired quality, check out this guide from the National Audubon Society.
Join a local birding group for a guided birdwatching hike. Look into your local bird organizations and see if there are any guided hikes to help identify birds as a group. Birding with others offers a sense of community and makes learning new species easier. You have more eyes and ears on the lookout for potential sightings, and you are surrounded by people of all different levels of experience.
Soon, one day you will walk down the street, hear a bird, then think to yourself, "That's a Northern Cardinal!"
Happy Creating (and birding),
Lauren
Kommentare