Birders With Uncanny Abilities
by GEAS Guest Blogger Bhavana Padiyath
I signed up for the GEAS Great Backyard Bird Count with no idea what to expect. As someone who knows very little about birds, I wondered what, if anything, I could contribute to the event, and if it would be an exercise in futility. My fears were unfounded.
Bird counts are among the oldest and largest community science projects in the world. Winter bird counts, in particular, provide important data about bird populations and migration patterns. Half a million people participated in this month’s Great Backyard Bird Count. Ornithologists compile and analyze this data to understand the status and trends of bird populations. The distribution and abundance of bird species indicate the health of habitats and the impact of climate change.
Being Patient In the Garden
Sixteen of us met at the Idaho Botanical Garden on the cold morning of February 18. Many were experienced birders with professional camera gear. Joining a group of veteran birders is a very fulfilling way to learn about birds in their own habitat.
Bird counters at Idaho Botanical Garden. Bhavana is on the left and Lorraine Poor in front.
Layers of clothing (and footwear) that keep one warm and dry are essential to this endeavor. Also recommended are a pair of binoculars (GEAS has ones to loan) and a notebook or the eBird phone app to record one’s observations. A tool like a field guide or online resource like the Merlin app can enhance the identification and learning process. Having the app on record mode while walking through the area can alert us acoustically to the presence of specific birds before we see them. Then, all one needs is to do is listen, be patient, and mindful of the present moment.
Our tour was led by Lorraine Poor. Lorraine was active with the Sierra Club in Southern California before she moved to Boise 28 years ago. She is a repository of knowledge about birds and has the uncanny ability to hear and identify their calls and songs long before anyone can spot them. Her keen insights were greatly appreciated.
“I speculate over some of the Anglo nomenclature of birds: Wilson's snipe, Forster's tern . . . : What natural images do these names conjure up in our minds? What integrity do we give back to the birds with our labels.”
Terry Tempest Williams, Pieces of White Shell
Who Is in the Garden With Us?
The group leisurely enjoyed the natural surroundings, captured photographs and exchanged notes. Stephanie Low graciously undertook record-keeping duties. In an hour and a half, we identified 81 individual birds belonging to 16 species.
New GEAS member Kevin Sligar enjoyed the opportunity birdwatching afforded “to go outdoors in winter”, and to encounter a whole variety of avian life in the stark landscape.
It was both humbling and exciting to discover that we shared the garden that morning with Dark-Eyed Juncos, Red-tailed Hawks, Townsend Solitaires, Kinglets, Sparrows, an American Kestrel and many other feathered and non-feathered creatures that unobtrusively share our neighborhood with us.
“That was the thing about Levantin: he loved the birds, but he really loved the places they brought him. When you spend your career in the confines of a gray suit, the pipits at dawn above timberline are even more wondrous.”
Mark Obmascik, The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession
Bhavana Padiyath has lived in Boise since 2004. She’s an avid naturalist and conservationist with an interest in sustainable urban food gardens.