Northern Mockingbird, its 3:00 AM, did he wake you too?
People often complain when their neighborhood mockingbird wakes them at 3:00 AM. I suggest we re-think the situation. Smile, be happy, for that song is a clear indication that spring has arrived! Those notes cutting through the night air are most likely from a bachelor male searching for a love. Wish him good luck and go back to sleep. Things will quiet down once he finds a mate. Bird song, longer days, breeding plumages, habitats in bloom.......its spring birding. This also means exciting adventures in nature for birders. Species that have been absent throughout the winter will return. Spring trips are designed around spring hot spots where we know we'll see nest building, pair bonding, adults feeding their young and territorial disputes. I welcome you to come along and experience it for yourself. Northern Mockingbird by Nikon ProSTaffer Thomas Dunkerton |
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So what is birding?
A hobby, a sport, a challenge, a good time |
Non-birders often ask,
What is birdwatching?
Well, birding gets folks outside to enjoy everything found in nature. Its like going on a treasure hunt. Everywhere
you look may find new lands, creatures and birds. As you get into the sport you end up with great toys from high powered optics, to fancy tripods and ipods. Then there are all the latest outdoor clothes that keep you warm, cool or dry depending on your destination habitat. Birding motivates one to explore the open spaces that people have worked so hard to preserve while also appreciating the birds in your own yard. Eventually birders travel the world, climb mountains, visit glaciers, cross deserts and go out into the oceans to find new species. You meet great people and often end up doing service for organizations that can use a little help. All are welcome regardless of age, sex, personal beliefs or income. Now THAT'S what birding is. I got to see this Spangle Cheeked Tanager during my New Year's trip to Panama - photographed by Patty McGann
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| Quotes for the Birds |
"One swallow does not make a summer, but one skein of geese, cleaving the murk of March thaw, is the spring. " - Aldo Leopold
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