Birdwatcher's daily companion : 365 days of advice, insight, and information for enthusiastic birders

605 Pages·2010·36.26 MB·English

by  Schneck

Birdwatcher’s
DAILY COMPANION
365 Days
of Advice, Insight,
and Information for
Enthusiastic Birders
Marcus H. Schneck and Tom Warhol
“The truth of the matter is, the birds could very well live without us,
but many—perhaps all—of us would find life incomplete, indeed
almost intolerable without the birds.”
—Roger Tory Peterson
“I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries,
and very frankly, give them fruit for their songs.”
—JOSEPH ADDISON, 1672–1719, English essayist, poet, and politician
Contents
INTRODUCTION
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
A BIRDWATCHER’S YEAR
MONDAY / BIRD-FINDING TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
TUESDAY / SPECIES IDENTIFICATION
WEDNESDAY / BIRDING EXCURSIONS AND TRAVEL
THURSDAY / BIRDS IN YOUR BACKYARD
FRIDAY / BIRDS IN HISTORY AND MYTH
SATURDAY + SUNDAY / BIRDING PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES
RESOURCES
INDEX
PHOTOGRAPHER CREDITS
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Introduction
Many birdwatchers are introduced to the pursuit by relatives or friends. Seeing
the fervent interest this special breed of people gives to the brilliant yet fleeting
avian denizens we share the world with often encourages others to see what
they’re seeing, and to experience what they’re experiencing while engaged with
nature. Some people may lose interest eventually, while others may also be
bitten by the birdwatching bug.
The two authors of this book discovered birdwatching through different paths.
Marcus’s mother maintained an array of feeders in her backyard, aligned for
prime viewing through the kitchen window, and a pair of binoculars and a field
guide to the birds rested nearby, at the ready, throughout her life. From that
vantage, she shared with her young son her excitement over the sight of the
varied and colorful species, such as the mobs of grosbeaks that came south from
the boreal forests of northern Canada in difficult winters. She also attuned his
ears to the equally colorful sounds coming from the yard, such as the wide-
ranging repertoire of imitations demonstrated by a resident mockingbird.
Through this and many other details, she instilled an enthusiasm for birds, bird
feeding, and birdwatching in this budding naturalist.
Tom came to birding somewhat later, in his twenties, while living in the Boston
area. The intense attention his close friends John and Caroline devoted to the
birds of the region inspired him to raise the binoculars and see a whole new
world. Up to this point, Tom’s attention had been largely focused on plants and
mushrooms; this new pursuit opened his eyes not only to the colorful
personalities of birds and the shared joy of correctly identifying species, but also
to a whole new group of living organisms, which broadened his view of the
workings of ecosystems.
The common thread of both Tom’s and Marcus’s experiences is recognizing and
responding to others’ enthusiasm for these endlessly entertaining, vital members
of the world’s biota, from blue jays at backyard feeders to rarer peregrine falcons
roosting on cliff faces and skyscrapers. Their mutual interest led the authors to
join forces and share their own passion for birds in as wide a way as possible—
through this book.
As they benefited from their predecessors, they hope this compilation of hints,
tips, and tricks will deepen and expand your birdwatching, whether in your
tips, and tricks will deepen and expand your birdwatching, whether in your
backyard or on long-distance outings to special birding hotspots. They’ve
explored a wide range of information that should prove handy both as a
reference for those experiences and as a day-to-day infusion of new knowledge.
So place this book next to your kitchen window or whatever viewing portal into
the world of birds you favor, and enjoy a bit of insight every day.
How to Use This Book
This book is organized as a day minder, with entries creating a complete year’s
worth of information. Each of the year’s fifty-two weeks has six entries.
You can start reading this book from the beginning, following the days of the
week through the calendar year, reading one entry a day. You can also read from
the middle of the book, the end, or skip around from week to week as inspiration
strikes. The most important thing to remember is that you can use this book
however you want. Dive in and enjoy birdwatching tips and information, from
birds in mythology to birds in your backyard.
A Birdwatcher’s Year
MONDAY is for bird-finding tips and techniques.
TUESDAY gives you tips and tools for species identification.
WEDNESDAY opens your mind to ideas for birding excursions and
travel.
THURSDAY helps you find and attract birds in your backyard.
FRIDAY teaches you about birds in history and mythology.
SATURDAY + SUNDAY offers ideas and instructions for birding
projects and activities.