Enjoying Birding

What can one do that is relatively inexpensive, helps you get away from the worries of the day, gets you outdoors, enables you to get some exercise, can be done alone or in a group, and provides you with lasting memories and good conversation? That is one heck of a question! Or is it a multitude of questions?

Birding, that’s the answer.

Let’s face it. This is cheap entertainment. First, all you really need to get started is a bird feeder or two and some seed or nectar. This is it, if what you hope to do is watch the birds that come to your own backyard. Hours of watching intently or on the spur of the moment can be had for pennies a day.

Of course, once you have enjoyed and learned about the birds in your yard, you’ll probably start noticing birds everywhere. It is just like buying a new car. Once you have bought the car, you start noticing that model on every road you travel. Once, you’ve noticed the birds in your backyard, you’ll notice them on your morning walk through the neighborhood, at the park, driving down the highway, in the fields on the edge of town, down at the river where you fish—everywhere.

So the next step is to get a good pair of binoculars, a field guide and your local checklist. And there is no stopping you. Your friends will start to ask you, the burgeoning expert, just what was that bird they saw the other day.

What is a good pair of binoculars going to cost you? One can spend any amount on binoculars. Consider that one will probably be using these for a number of years. Consider that you want a pair of binoculars through which you can actually tell the colors on the wings, or belly or tail. Consider that you want a pair that enables the identification of the bird. Consider that old birders never die; their eyesight just “ain’t as good as it used to be”. Therefore, do not buy a cheap pair of binoculars! Invest enough in your binocular to keep you satisfied with your purchase for many years. Here, look at it this way: if you bought a Vortex Diamondback and you knew that you were going to use these over the next ten years (a lifetime warranty not withstanding), the cost would be barely more than a nickel a day. Similarly, if you bought a Vortex Viper it would be about 14 cents per day. See, I told you this was an inexpensive proposition.

Lastly, investigate the local Audubon Society in your area. Find out when and where they meet. Once you start attending their meetings, you’ll learn of places all around you where there are wonderful and exciting birds to see. Then you will have new friends and a community with whom to share all this. That is more than satisfactory, that’s great!

Birding is the answer, yep!

Owl Prowl

On the East Waco Christmas Bird Count, Short Eared Owls were found off Old Mexia Road. E.G. White-Swift and his son, Joey, had noticed Northern Harriers in this field earlier in the day. Knowing that Short Eared Owls occupy the same habitat at dusk, they returned as the sun was setting to wait in hope of seeing the owls. Those with patience and forbearance are oft rewarded, and so they were.

A week later E.G. promised to lead a group of Central Texas Audubon members and friends to the location. Meeting at 5:00 PM, we traveled to the field arriving about 25 minutes later. With the light and temperature dropping, through binoculars and scopes, we watched three Northern Harriers dance across the field and around the cattle grazing. Then one of the Short Ears started to work the far reaches of the field opposite from where we all stood. A second appeared and both flew directly at us and eventually over the cars. Back around they came and split; one right, one left. Having checked out all four corners of the territory, they began to work the field again. I can tell you that it became almost a party atmosphere as we bore witness to these birds and their crepuscular activity.

A few evenings later some more birders were at the field. Bryan Stone took these wonderful pictures. One includes a pair sparring with each other. These owls are rare sightings in McLennan County, so it is a delight to behold.

Broken Bow, Oklahoma

My family returned to the land of my mother and father in the interlude between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Having not been able to accommodate everyone’s schedule this summer, we resolved to take our family vacation this winter. The goal was some peace and quiet in the woods. Lake Broken Bow in Southeast Oklahoma became the destination. We rented a cabin within a couple of miles of Beavers Bend State Park. We walked down to the lake’s edge on the first evening at the cabin. These woods produced a Brown Creeper, Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee, and, of course, American Crows.

The Talimena National Scenic Byway, north of the cabin, afforded us grand views of the Ozarks and surrounding valleys. At Emerald Vista we learned of, and you can see still the effects of, the old practice of clear cutting an area of timber for the sawmill. Then the company would abandon the area moving the workers, equipment and mill without regard to replanting. Then there is Horsethief Springs where the rustlers would water the stolen horses before moving on. At the western end of the byway, at the Talimena State Park we had a picnic lunch.

We spent part of the last day at the Red Slough Wetlands and Wildlife Management Area where we saw Mallards, American Coots, Red Shouldered Hawk, sandpipers, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Belted Kingfisher, Eastern Phoebe and Meadowlarks. Red Slough is a reclaimed wetland, once having been cleared and converted for the production of rice, soybeans, corn and milo. Since 1966 the property has been managed as a wetland. Wood Storks regularly visit in the summer. Some 290 species of birds have been recorded on these 5814 acres.

Reflections on Tranquility

Lake Broken Bow

Southeastern Oklahoma

December 29, 2008