Real Birding is More than a Photo

The bottom of a male American Redstart

Spring "sprung" with amazing speed this year. Lilacs are in bloom at least three weeks early and the leaves on the trees opened and grew rapidly. Birding in the spring is often easier when leaves are just emerging, as small, active migrating birds like warblers and vireos are difficult to see in treetops when the leaves are large. "Warbler neck" is a real thing!  A nearby park had an unusually high number of migrating birds this year and many photographers set up their expensive gear to get photos. Photography is a great way to get to know bird species. My interest in nature and birding took off when I got my first digital camera. I studied my pictures and identified the flora and fauna in each shot. Some people just want the best picture and don't care to discover a bird's identification or habits. In my opinion, they are photographers, not birders but many of them are friendly and willing to learn more about nature.

I have resisted getting a better camera with a long lens as I want to travel lightly on trails. My binoculars and point-and-shoot camera are all the gear I need. I have a favourite "sit-spot" log in the bush at this park where I listen and observe. Sometimes I get a good picture but most of my shots are for documentation and identification. Every picture in this post is blurry or the bird is just partially seen. Some birds, like a Hermit Thrush that peeked through the leaf litter near me three times, resist having their photo taken. "Hermit" is a perfect moniker for this species. 

Black and White Warbler

This Black and White Warbler moved quickly down the tree trunk. It acts like a Nuthatch, often descending a tree rather than climbing it. Watching the flight and movement patterns of a bird and listening to its calls helps greatly in making an accurate identification. 

I didn't know what this bird was in the thicket. Looking at the blurry picture later, I realized it was a Blue-headed Vireo, a new species for my list. 

The bottom of a Chestnut-sided Warbler

Modern life has dulled our awareness of the natural world's rhythms, sounds and seasons. I am not a person who would walk outdoors listening to music or a podcast through my Bluetooth earbuds. (I fear I will eventually run over one of these people as they do not hear the warning bell on my bike!) 

I need to figure out where north, south, east and west are, observe the wind speed and direction, listen carefully to my surroundings and enjoy my location whether or not I see a new bird or get a great picture.  I have learned that there is always something unexpected to be seen.

And I did see something unexpected on this day. A Red-bellied Woodpecker was working on its nest in an old tree.  It was trying to carry a plastic juice cup in its beak up the tree. The cup had a broken bottom and the bird was able to release it when it realized this piece of furniture would not fit in its nesting hole. 

This was my most interesting observation of the day, leaving me contemplating how humans have altered the environment we share with many other creatures. I see how adaptable and resilient some species are, knowing others will not survive the rapid changes of our modern world.