Cathy Dyson | Fredericksburg Free Lance Star
When talking with birdwatchers, in person while they listen for species or over the phone as they gaze out the window at feeders, remember the cardinal rule. Bird sightings come first, conversations, second.
That was obvious on a particularly splendid morning last week as 10 people flocked to Old Mill Park in Fredericksburg. Amy Gardner of the Wren & Sparrow store leads a free bird walk at 9 a.m., on the first and third Tuesdays from November to March, in partnership with Fredericksburg Parks, Recreation and Events. Em Ford was on the younger side of the attendees, and she chirped about how more millennials are taking up birdwatching. She’s excited about the upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb. 14-17, “when the world comes together for the love of birds,” according to the website at https://www.birdcount.org.
People are asked to step outside or go to parks and other favorite places and spend at least 15 minutes, not just recording species spotted, but counting the actual number of birds. Data is used to better understand populations and to help scientists monitor and protect them.
Ford, the garden coordinator for Downtown Greens, loves the “citizen science aspect” of the GBBC, as it’s called. “That is so super important in getting as many people involved and is how people will start caring about the preservation of all these things,” she said. “It just makes this hobby, which is a very pertinent part of conservation … oops, sorry, there’s a heron in flight.” Then, after the leggy waterbird left its perch along the Rappahannock River, Ford resumed her train of thought, saying how the count is an easy way for anyone to do science. “Backyard bird counts show what we have in our neighborhoods, what we can see just by walking out the front door and I think it’s incredibly important,” she said.
The Great Backyard Bird Count, at www.birdcount.org, is sponsored by Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Audubon Society and Birds Canada. Several state parks across Virginia are hosting events for people who want to gather with other likeminded individuals — birds of a feather, if you will. “People who enjoy birds usually like to enjoy them with other people who enjoy birds,” said Lucia Craven, an education support specialist at Caledon State Park in King George County.
Caledon will host five sessions, each lasting an hour, on Feb. 15 and 16, for people who want to count the many feathered species at the park. Information is available at dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/caledon. Craven was looking out the window of the Visitor Center as she talked about the bird count, and like Ford, found herself distracted by creatures in such fine feather. “There’s a Carolina chickadee,” she announced in mid-sentence.
Likewise, the spotting of numerous Eastern bluebirds made her feel like warmer weather is on the way. Bluebirds stay in the area year-round, but the mere sight of the colorful plumage, amid the dull-colored landscape, made her think of spring. “It’s fun to look at birds in the winter versus the summer because they don’t always look the same,” Craven said, and “it’s nice to do it with other people who might see things that you do not. Even experienced birders can brush up on skills when they’re with others who can identify birds by call rather than sight.”
Comment: This was the lead story and lead photo in my Sunday morning newspaper. It was a refreshing respite from the onslaught of recent and continuing national and international news. I love my local paper for continuing to publish stories like this. What really caught my eye was the photo of the American Goldfinch. I did not realize that our Goldfinches had Winter colors. They’re still pretty. I’m accustomed to seeing large flocks of them descend on my flower garden in the Fall to devour the cone flower seeds. Apparently that’s one of their favorite foods.
In addition to this long article on the Great Backyard Bird Count, Cathy Dyson had a second article in the Sunday paper with “Tips on counting crows and other birds.” Unfortunately, unless you subscribe to the Free Lance-Star, you probably can’t read the rest of this article or learn Cathy’s tips on how to the count crows in a murder. Doesn’t matter. I’m sure you can figure it out and be ready to spend some quality time in your back yards for this year’s Great Backyard Bird Count.
By the way, I was going to publish this article this morning, but the Verizon FIOS was out in the neighborhood most of the day. Thank God I still get a morning newspaper.
TTG
I hunt dove in Borrego Springs California in the southern California desert. A few years ago I found out that the Borrego Valley is a major corridor for Swainsons hawks migrating from Argentina from late February to mid April. On any given day you can see a few to upwards of 1000. they come from the south into the valley during the late afternoon and feed on flying ants and caterpillars then roost and leave around 8 or 9 in the morning. It is a spectacular sight to see them form kettles of several hundred birds as the enter and leave the valley.
Saw a Great Blue Heron today from my deck. Plus a good sized flock of snowy plovers. There were several flickers, lots of chickadees, finches and other little guys at the suet feeder. Thought I saw a splash of gold in the bushes, but . . . . maybe later this Spring.
Did spot a hawk with some white tail feathers today. Hunting low but he was quick so I couldn’t ID him, might have been a falcon or osprey.
Neighbor says that hawk is a Sharpy and hangs out on a snag in a spruce on his bayfront.
Thanks for this post. I’m interested.
Three years ago saw my cancer treatments begin (the *cure being burdensome/afflicting than I’d been when diseased) At any rate, back when I found myself ‘less than enthused’ about keeping my *clearances current and then let ’em lapse I rediscovered a fascination with birds generally – but had never “studied” the lifeform … since “somewhat rectified” (a work in progress).
*Some years ago Fort Leonard Wood’s Chemical Warfare “to do” had a bunch of new construction done and as I was the only guy in my subcontractor “space” who held a TS/SCI – Well, the money was right even though I’d begun trying to disengage … more’n I care to put on a public blog … Suffice I’ve moved from places to places aboard both ships and boats. (Colonel Lang “intuited” who I might – in real life – be and reached out ‘Covid beginning’ then a too too short.)
At any rate I’ve taken to enjoying birds. Both the observing as well as the simple pleasures of discerning the whys of what birds do. Birds are endlessly fascinating.
The 9th of this month I sighted my first – and so far only – Northern Flicker. Last breeding season I (photographically) recorded my first “life-cycle” of a Red-shouldered Hawk – and witnessed the ground-chase of the ‘fledgling’ taking a Copperhead (snake)! The 23rd of last month I confirmed a Sharp-shinned hawk.
And … Jiminy Crickets! … Sunday last I spent more money’n I’ve allowed myself to spend toward simple pleasures – in this case birds [the avian sort] – than I’ve allowed since Colin Powell’s “It’s a slam dunk!” at the UN.
Bird-watching, seems to me, is a far more productive and rewarding enthusiasm than watching humans’ trys and, usually, fails.
Keep these sorts of posts coming! Please.
JK –
I’m two and a half years free of C. Was lucky, they caught it early.
PS – we call ’em Sharpys up here. The hawk, not the wrinkly pooch.
Caught mine early too Leith, ‘decision as to what to do’ being my rubicon. Took me awhile, as my Dad had faced it years before (family history eg eg) and was dissatisfied with his result (aside from his being a *well-informed MD hisself).
I’m not ‘woe is me’ I’ve enjoyed the heck outta how life has treated me. And now? Heck I’m living in a four bedroom parsonage located fairly immediately adjacent to a ‘traditional’ (Cumberland Presbyterian) church and I’m fair on invisible.
I’ve achieved the age, I guess, I’ve always striven toward (without perhaps knowing) unencumbered with the need of arguing whether the term ‘Sharpy’ or ‘Sharp-shinned’ are the hills either of which I’d exert to die on.
FI … Sharpy works for me. That plus, in hillbillyianese cuneiform/cursive its most abbreviated!