by DJ Featherton
So, I saw these pretty black and yellow birds outside my house today. What the heck were they? Or, what is that red bird that keeps showing up by the patio in the morning? This is the beginning of birding enjoyment. A pretty bird, something unusual, an owl, or a hummingbird at your flowers that has feathers that actually light up. No, there’s much more out there than just sparrows and little brown sputzies. I’ve seen a peregrine falcon making its home on a condo balcony where there were lots of pigeons trying to keep their distance. How about five turkey vultures and a bald eagle arguing over a dead fish on the edge of the pond by our yard. (The eagle took charge.) Or, a pileated woodpecker working over a small tree that was just a few feet outside my screened porch. He didn’t seem to know I was right there, watching him. That was a treat! It doesn’t matter where you live, or what your environment is, there is always bird spectacle and entertainment even in your own backyard.
The gorgeous adult American Bald Eagle!
Bird identification is one of the most motivating and rewarding parts of birding. Now, all those flocks of “sparrows” flyin’ around are actually weaver finches that were brought from England a long time ago. But what was that brown bird with a beautiful face and big white throat that I saw on the ground? Ah ha, my field guide says it’s a white-throated sparrow, and I’ve made a positive identification! This identification process just grows and grows and becomes more fun and serious and challenging all the time. Did he have an eye ring, bands on his tail, some red on his belly? Was it a male or female? Those owls hooting at night, are they barred owls or great horned, or just “hoot owls”? Did I really get a “positive make” or am I not sure? You see, the fun begins and gets better all the time.
Birding begins in your own backyard. There’ll always be lots of time to go birding in the park or down to the local water’s edge. It’s simple. I like a decorative bird bath with an added solar bubbler fountain. The moving water attracts the birds. These are not expensive and there are many to select from. Next, a couple of simple cylindrical hanging feeders with two different kinds of seed for different kinds of birds. The bath and feeders should be placed by some tree cover, hedges, or flower beds. I find using a Shepard’s hook or two is the best and easiest way to hang your feeders in just the right place. Make sure you can see your feeders from inside your house and patio. If you don’t have a pair of binoculars, don’t hesitate to buy some. Optics, magnification and field of vision have so improved, and they are easily affordable. Last is a good field guide that all us birders use to identify birds and their characteristics OR download a bird identification app. I know, our cell answers everything, but you can’t beat a good field guide complete with your own notes and dates of where you first spotted that bird.
As the backyard birds find your feeders, you will identify and get to know the regular visitors. Soon, however, you will see seasonal migrants passing through … who eats at the feeder and who eats on the ground, and even watch the pecking orders. Sometimes there will be a new bird that shows up for a few days and then disappears. And sometimes an intruding woodland hawk zooms through for his morning snack! Don’t forget the calamity of springtime nesting, and you might put a bit of suet from the meat market out for the woodpeckers. This is all for your enjoyment in your own backyard!
So, a decorative bird bath and solar bubbler, one or two shepherd’s hooks, several tube feeders, a pair of binoculars and a birding field guide is all it takes to develop your own unique backyard birding environment. It’s where you can learn about dozens of bird species right from the comfort and convenience of your home. Next? It’s just a matter of time before you spread your wings to favorite parks or lakes and hiking trails to find birds and maybe even a few birder friends. See ya out there!
