Bird Watching

If someone hands you a pair of binoculars and says "Let's observe wild creatures going about their business" you might reply "No thanks. I'm not looking into our neighbor's window again." Fortunately, the creatures you will be spying on during this date have interesting names such as Snowy White Egrets, Great Blue Herons, Orange-Crowned Warblers, Whooper Swans, Rose-Throated Becards, Buff-Breasted Flycatchers, Green-Breasted Mangos, and maybe even Woody the Woodpecker.

On this date, you'll be putting yourself in a position for a great wildlife encounter.

(The Goofy Foot Press is home to the nest of a Great Blue Heron. Birdwatching reached a new level for us when the Heron plucked a bullfrog from our stream and flew off with it to enjoy a low altitude lunch.)

COST

The viewing is totally free. How you get there and what you look through is a different story. Allow money for food and transportation, plus $17 or more for a good field guide. If you don't have binoculars, try to borrow some. FINDING A PLACE TO BIRD WATCH Regional Birdfinding Guides published by the American Birding Association at www.americanbirding.org offers accurate, detailed instructions for finding birds in the top birding locations.

A field or clearing near a stream or lake would be ideal. There should be trees and an open area for optimal viewing.

WHAT TO BRING WITH YOU

Bring condoms, in case you spot a Horny Little Pecker. Bring something comfortable to sit on and perhaps a blanket. You'll need a pair of binoculars and plenty of water (for you, not the birds).

While bringing a field guide isn't essential, it will help make the day more interesting. Also, it's nice to have a paper and pencil handy in case you want to write down which birds you see. When you get home, you can put a notch on the side of your binoculars for each bird family you encountered.

FIELD GUIDES

If you study the field guide and familiarize yourselves with the species that have been recorded in the area, it will help make identification much easier. Here are some suggestions:

Sibley Guide To Bird Life and Behavior from the National Audubon Society, published in 2001, is probably the guide to beat among serious bird watchers. It is a little pricey at $45.00, but it's also a very nice book. We like to think of it as the Penthouse or Playboy for ornithologists.

The Peterson Field Guide Series are excellent for beginners. Two of the guides to consider are A Field Guide to the Birds of Eastern and Central North America and A Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America by Roger Tory Peterson, $14.95.

The Stokes' Guides are also good for beginners. The Stokes' Guides use high-quality photographs and devote an entire page to various species. Try the Stokes Field Guide to Birds, Eastern Region and the Stokes Field Guide to Birds, Western Region by Donald and Lillian Stokes, $14.95.

When in doubt, there's always the National Geographic Society's Field Guide to the Birds of North America by Jon Dunn and Eirik Blom, $17.50. This big honker of a guide covers all of North America in one book, although it is probably not ideal for beginners. It is the most complete field guide currently available, with very thorough text and illustrations of multiple plumages for many of the species. As the old saying goes, you can't judge a bird by his plumage—or can you?

You can buy the field guides that are listed above at most bookstores or from the American Birding Association at www.americanbirding.org or phone them at (800)634-7736,

BINOCULARS

Birding binoculars usually have lenses between 30 and 50 mm. Any larger and they start to get too hefty, any smaller and they don't pass enough light to work well in twilight conditions. Most cheap binoculars (less than $50) don't work well enough to do the job in the field. At the other extreme are models that cost around a thousand dollars. These are incredibly rugged and give amazing, sharp images, but few beginners are able or willing to pay that much. Many birders spend between $100 and $250 for their binoculars and they are able to get a very good pair for that price. If you have a pawn shop nearby, stop and check out their selection of binoculars. You might get a great deal on an exceptional pair of binoculars, but you'll need to know what to look for. Your safest bet is a store that specializes in binoculars and telescopes.

ADDITIONAL POINTERS

Leave your dayglo spandex wear at home. Bright colors will attract attention to you and frighten the birds. Wear drab colors. Move slowly and quietly. Take extra Ritalin if necessary. Be patient. The birds may have scattered upon your arrival, but will begin to return if you sit quietly. Bonus! There may be other wildlife around you, like that big black bear who's wondering what you're doing sitting between she and her cub.

SAFETY FIRST

If you are concerned about getting lost, consider marking your path with something other than bread crumbs. If it's summer, bring plenty of sunscreen, insect repellent and your sunglasses. If it's winter, bring rain gear in case there are unexpected showers. If you are bird watching in an unfamiliar place or in the forest, bring comfort food, toilet paper, one of those lightweight emergency metallic waterproof blankets and anything else you might pack with you on a regular day hike.

IMPRESS YOUR DATE WITH INTERESTING BIRD FACTS

Many species of song birds learn their own song from a parent or neighbor. As many as two- to five-billion birds fly south from the temperate zone each winter. The Arctic Tern flies 10,000 miles every spring and fall between winter and summer grounds. Birds walk on their toes with their heels in the air. A human would have to eat 340 pounds of potatoes every day to keep up with a hummingbird.