Birder's Log 2/8/2020

February 08, 2020 Posted by: Wallace Keck - Park Superintendent

Birding Big Year: What Birders Really Want

I’m no expert on the wants and needs of other birders, but I know what I really want, and so I extrapolate. What we want is perhaps quite different than you might expect. Here’s the top five:

1. Frequent pull-outs. I do most of my birding from the Jeep these days, so I want to be able to pull over, and quickly check that bird on the power line. It might take a bit of research, but before the transportation department builds a road, they should do a 5-year study of where birds are likely to be, and then build frequent pull-outs in the vicinity. I would love to help with that study. If this seems unreasonable, forget the study and just build a birder’s lane. If they can do it for bicyclers, well then…

2. Wi-Fi binoculars with feather recognition. I want to be able to confirm my sighting by switching on the recognition software and aiming the binocs at the bird. Once locked on, I can activate ebird and the Audubon app with my eyes to view range maps, bird songs, and other interesting facts right there in the barrel. What? They already have that technology?

3. Another Lifer. In previous logs, I have explained that a lifer is a bird being observed for the first time. All subsequent views are fodder for the lists that a birder will obsessively make the rest of his life – such as Big Year lists, state lists, backyard lists, and my favorite – list of birds seen while keeping one foot inside the circumference of a randomly-placed hula-hoop for 12 hours. But as entertaining as lists are, nothing compares to adding another bird to the life list.

4. Wackadoodle Birding Partner. I want a bird fanatic who will do most of the driving, keep the trip list, knows exactly when to stop 1 second before I holler “Bird On!” (a variant of “Fish on the line!”). I want a partner who appreciates and makes ample room for a box of donuts in the front seat, and most importantly enjoys hearing my stories of epic birding….for the third time.

5. To be retired. Let’s face it, all those years of “working for the man” have been endured so that now in retirement you can wake up at 4 a.m., and decide…”I think I’ll go see a blue jay that’s being reported 2 hours from here.” All my birding friends are retired. I hate that (want that).

birding, bird count, City of Rocks, Castle Rocks