by DJ Featherton
I saw three Tufted Titmice, one House Wren, six American Goldfinches, and a Brown Thrasher at my feeder this morning. Sometimes I see a N Cardinal, Blue Jay, and a Downy Woodpecker, and there are lots of other birds that frequent my feeder. I’ve seen these birds many times and enjoy being able to make so many positive IDs. Years ago, as new birders, my wife and I had to use several birding field guides and share our one pair of binoculars to identify what the heck we were seeing at the feeder. It was fun and challenging. Sometimes debates and arguments would occur, and sometimes we’d both be wrong, or sometimes we’d just forget exactly what that bird looked like! This is birding, and it’s all about identification.
Identification is more than size and color. It’s understanding behavior, preferred habitat and feed, seasonal changes and more. Some common backyard birds migrate away in winter, some stay but change color, and some change their diet from seeds to berries. All these things were soon learned but leaving our backyard for parks and nature areas brought new challenges and many unsolved mysteries. Each birding adventure was a big experience as we continued to see and identify more birds in the wild. But, was each ID we made a POSITIVE make? Well, I think so. Hmmmm ……..
By this time, I had a small group of friends on the faculty at my Wisconsin university that were experienced and serious birders. These guys taught me a lot, and we shared many enjoyable birding days in the northern Mississippi valley. This was also the time when I learned the dynamics and pecking order of birders. Somebody has always seen more and knows more about the day’s sightings than somebody else! I was the least experienced at the time, so I was the most doubted! These back and forth debates happen at all levels. The lady next door says she had a Bluebird at her feeder. After she described a perfect Blue Jay, I told her it may not have been a Bluebird. She then made it clear that she knows all about her Bluebirds! I said, “Ok! … I think you’re right.”
One of the best ways to hone your identification skills is to join your local Audubon Society and go on field trips! Birding at its best is when you are learning from other birders. This is how I learned about sparrows. Did you know there are 15 species of sparrows that can be found in most areas of North America? Each of these have their own characteristics and colorful markings. If you look these birds up online or look closely at your backyard sparrows, you will find them to be quite beautiful and more than just little brown “sputzies.” My two favorites are the White-throated Sparrow and the Fox Sparrow. The White-throat is just pretty to see with his colorfully striped head and obvious white throat feathers. The Fox Sparrow is the largest of the sparrows and sports heavy dark stripes with his distinctive rufous red feathers. In the Fall of the year it’s an experience to find a flock of Fox Sparrows all on the ground hopping back and forth on the dried leaves to find worms and insects. Once you hear this sound, you won’t forget. It’s all about identification!
The most fun and challenging is spotting and identifying a rare or uncommon bird, or maybe a mutant or oddly colored bird, or a bird that is far out of his normal range. Now, as the day is over and we birders gather at the coffee shop, the doubts and debates begin. Was that a Golden Eagle, or an immature Bald Eagle? I swear I saw a yellow cardinal! I saw an all-white, Red-tailed Hawk flying with his normally colored mate! There were two Parasitic Jaegers photographed over Mississippi backwaters far from their range in the North Atlantic. You saw a Snowy Owl on the ground out in that field? Are you sure it wasn’t just a post covered with snow?
Hey! I’ve got an Ivory-billed Woodpecker that comes to my feeder early each morning before the sun comes up! I know an English prof from Texas who seriously claims he saw a Road Runner by Madison, Wisconsin. Well, the honest truth is that almost anything is possible, even in your own backyard. It’s fun, challenging, and it’s all about identification.
