Welcome back to our Entryway to Birding series! A lot has happened in the last week, most notably Governor Evers’ announcement of the closure of 40 of Wisconsin's state parks and recreational areas. It’s more important than ever that we respect the social distancing guidelines and act responsibly if we choose to get outside. Outdoor activity is still considered essential, but we should be sticking close to home and avoiding crowded places.
While it’s sad to see so many of our parks close, this could be a great opportunity for any aspiring new birders out there. The perfect place to start birding is right in your neighborhood, learning one bird at a time!
What else has been going on this week? The first of our warblers are coming in thick! I’ve been seeing yellow-rumped warblers (aka “butterbutts”) all over the place. Keep an eye out for these very small, very fast, very cute insect-eaters. Some of the first I saw were way up in the tree tops, flitting in and out of a giant cloud of bugs and picking them off one by one! Photo by Caitlyn Schuchhardt
This week’s post is written with new and aspiring birders in mind. Birding is a boundless hobby that can take you in so many directions! But it’s also one that can feel intimidating if you aren’t sure how to get started—especially with all our spring bird walks and field trips on hold. I’m not here to give you any expert advice, because I’m not an expert. Far from it. I’m a new birder myself. I went through this process not long ago and I’d love to share what I learned.
Read on for a few simple steps to get started with birding!
Step 1: Consider your viewing (or listening) method
In an ideal world, you’d have some binoculars lying around. But if you don’t and are unable to order some, you still have options. If you have access to a camera with a respectable zoom lens (even just a point and shoot!), you can use that to view birds that aren’t too far away. (Bonus: you’ll have pictures of your sightings that you can use in your identifications!)
No binoculars or camera? You might struggle with birds that are too far away, but you can still notice a lot about a bird’s behavior and can get a great impression of its general characteristics by watching with just your eyes. This type of viewing pays off in the long run—you’ll be surprised at what you pick up on. If you’re going without bins, you might also find yourself tuning into the songs and calls around you even more!
If you are looking to invest in binoculars, there are a lot of great guides out there to help you find the right ones. Be sure to pick a pair that is specific for birding. You’ll see a lot of options split between 8x42 and 10x42. I’d personally recommend starting with the 8x42s, especially if you’re not used to using binoculars. They’ll be lighter; easier to get focused on small, fast moving birds in trees; and still have great magnification and field of view. 10x42s are fine too, but are more suited for hawk watching or scanning wide open areas.
The best binoculars are the ones you have with you. I started with my trusty Nikon Prostaff 3S, recommended as an affordable option by the Audubon Guide to Binoculars. They haven’t steered me wrong yet.
The author is pictured with her binoculars. Photo by Caitlyn Schuchhardt
Step 2: Consider a field guide
Watching birds is one thing. Identifying them is another, and this is often where the true challenge lies. Birds are tricky and in the field so many things can skew your sense of what you’re seeing. A good field guide will help you get started with the basics of bird identification.
I like to rely on multiple field guides because each one helps in different ways. I also use both physical, printed guides and bird ID apps on my phone. (Let’s be real. I’m not hauling a full-sized book with me on my walk.) My go-to guides are a printed copy of The Sibley Field Guide to Eastern Birds of North America (I use the app version on my phone in the field) and the Merlin ID app, but there are so many more! And many of them are free!
Check out Madison Audubon’s great Birding Resources page for a list of recommended field guides, online bird identification tools, and handy apps for your phone.
Step 3: Consider where to go
Don’t over-complicate this step. When you’re getting started with birding, anywhere with birds is a good place to go. Stick close to home—your backyard or a nearby park are great options. As you get more invested and start seeking out more birds, eBird is a great resource to find local “hotspots” in your area. These are places that people bird frequently and exploring the “recent visits” at hotspots near you will give you a good idea of what you may see. (Just remember to follow social distancing guidelines! If you head somewhere and it looks too crowded, find another spot.)
Quiet and secluded … just how I like it! Photo by Caitlyn Schuchhardt
Step 4: Watch and listen
Once you’re out there, take a moment to get tuned into the world around you. Stand silently and really notice where you’re at. Listen. Watch. Wait. Pay attention to the slightest movements in the trees or brush. Immerse yourself and you’ll start noticing the birds before you know it.
That’s it! In a nutshell, that’s the essence of birding. There’s more to it, of course, and we’ll unpack all the ins and outs of this rewarding hobby of over the next few weeks.
But at its core, birding comes down to this: get looking, find birds, ID them, enjoy them!
Sounds easy, right? Right?
Last week, I wrote about how I got hooked on birding and all the excitement and curiosity I felt at the world opening up around me. What I didn’t write about, though, was what happened the first time I tried braving the world of birds on my own. Just me. No guides. No group.
I had an awful time.
I went to one of my favorite places, expecting to see *all the birds* and if I couldn’t ID them, my trusty phone app would help, no prob!
But I found myself overwhelmed. I heard so much, but I didn’t know what was calling. I could barely spot anything and if I did, it would move so fast I couldn’t keep my bins on it. I struggled without having someone to help me, and in my frustration, I let my urge to identify birds take over my urge to simply enjoy them. It took a lot of joy out of the experience.
Thankfully, I didn’t give up then and there. And I sincerely hope, if you find yourself in that same frustrating position, that you don’t give up either.
So, before I send you all on your way, here is my advice for new birders, from a new birder:
Don’t expect too much of yourself too fast.
If you just picked up a field guide today, no one is expecting you to correctly ID all the birds you see. Heck, if you picked up a field guide five years ago, they still aren’t expecting it. Bird identification is tricky and challenging. Give yourself time to learn and don’t be embarrassed if you can’t ID something, even if it is “common.” All birders start somewhere! You’ve got a whole wide world of bird knowledge to explore, so don’t be afraid to take it one bird at a time.
Get comfortable with uncertainty …
There’s a bird in that brush, chipping away, rustling the branches. Will it come out so you can catch a glimpse? Maybe. Maybe not. You’re probably not going to get a good look at that raptor that flew overhead and out of sight, and those ducks on the far side of the lake aren’t going to swim closer for you. There will be some birds that you just can’t get a good look at—and that’s okay.
… and with disappointment.
Someone saw a bird you’ve never seen before, and it was right there! But, oh shoot, it flew.
Birds will do what they want, when they want, no matter how hard you wish them to stay in your view. I was frustrated by this at first—especially when seeking out new birds that I was itching to see—but I’ve now realized there is a real peace, a calm, in simply accepting that you have no control over their actions. Embrace that lack of control, and you may find yourself coping better with disappointment in other areas of your life.
Make mistakes.
December 14th, 2019. My first Christmas Bird Count. I was walking along Arboretum Drive with a small group and suddenly this enormous bird flies up from the reeds, flying low, straight towards us. My brain registers the massive wingspan and in my excitement, I pointed and shouted “Owl!” at what was clearly … a red-tailed hawk. Why owl? I had owls on the brain because I had seen my first barred owl that morning. Sometimes your brain sees what you wanna see.
You’ll mis-ID a lot of birds in your lifetime. It might be embarrassing. It might be in public. But once it happens, you’ll likely learn all you can to avoid making the same mis-ID again. Slowly but surely, you’ll improve your recognition of field marks and bird behavior, and things will start to click.
Own your excitement.
Birds are SO COOL. Even the “common” ones. Even the ones we caution with, “Oh, it’s just a …” (It’s just a robin? That’s awesome! I love robins!) You might run across some people that sound dismissive of a sighting that you were thrilled about, just because they’ve seen that bird hundreds of times. Don’t let them rain on your bird parade. Own your excitement. It will get others excited too, and the more people that are excited about birds, the better!
Look at this photo of a robin I took! What a gorgeous bird. Photo by Caitlyn Schuchhardt
Stop comparing yourself.
You’ll likely encounter birders that have been doing this for years. For decades. For their entire lives. Don’t judge your beginning birder skills by comparing yourself to them. And don’t be intimidated by them either—they were new once, too!
Wisconsin has a large and wonderful birding community, full of folks who are more than happy to help you learn. Take them up on it!
And, most importantly, have fun.
Enjoy your time outside. Be awed by the things you see. Make new friends. See great birds.
You’re not able to get out on group bird walk or field trip right now, and that may feel frustrating. But if you’ve been wanting to explore this hobby, spring is the perfect time to do it—even if you are flying solo. Our blog will be here each week to help you along the way.
I encourage you to take advantage of this rewarding hobby. Birding can open us up to a whole new world of experiences, of opportunities, of connection, but it also helps us develop some really valuable life skills. If you weren’t good at handling disappointment before, you might be a bit better at it after you miss out on spotting that rarity after your third, fourth, or fifth try. You may be a bit more accepting of things you cannot change. You may go a little easier on yourself. You may be a little more patient.
Birding can change your life. It can also change your perspective.
So, go on. Get out there. Bird your world.
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Written by Caitlyn Schuchhardt
Caitlyn is the Communications and Outreach Assistant at Madison Audubon. She’s crazy for birds because they changed her life. She’ll be back next Monday with some tools for birders, new and experienced! Between now and then, she’d love to hear about the birds you’re seeing and hearing. Leave a comment below or email to drop her a line!
