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WORDS OFA FEATHERby HEATHER SHIRLEYPhoto by KYLE MATERABirding EssentialsPlanning to enjoy a fine spring day inthe verdant woods, enjoying nature andbirds? Make sure you take the right things toensure a wonderful adventure.Binoculars magnify the birds, so you canbetter see plumage and behavior details toidentify their species. The range of binocularchoices—and prices—can make buying opticsconfusing. The best advice I ever heard is tobuy the best you can afford, straight away.Don’t start out with an introductory $50 pairof binoculars; they’ll only leave you wantingsomething better. You’ll spend more in thelong run and deny yourself months or years ofhaving a great pair to enjoy.If you get hooked on birding, plunge in andbuy smart. I recommend going to a New JerseyAudubon sanctuary store (www.NJAudubon.org) to buy optics; their prices are competitive,the staff knowledgeable and you’ll learn aboutwalks and outings they sponsor. Choosebinoculars that feel good and fit your budget,then get out in the field and find some birds!But first, you’ll need to take a few more thingswith you.A hat, bug spray, sunscreen. Water and plentyof snacks. (Because birding generally meansan early start to the day, you may find yourselfravenous by 10 am!) Clothing layers, rain gear.A field guide (I like David Sibley’s, available inapp stores).Finally, most importantly, whom will youtake?The qualities to consider as you make thiscritical decision are many. Birding skill iscertainly a factor: will you learn something orwill you feel gratified teaching others if you’reHeather Shirley and some fellow bird watchers in south Florida recently: unknown, JohnCaptionGroskopf,boxtheis Agendaauthor,RegularCarl Edwardsat 9 pt.andwthKyle10 pt.Matera.space between lines.(Photo courtesy of the author.)38LAKE HOPATCONG NEWS Spring 2020the more experienced birder? Birding style: areyou a dawn-to-dusk, no-matter-the-weather,rabid birder? Or more of a midday, fair-weatherbirder? Who will keep you alert and entertainedon long car drives? Finally, and bluntly, whowon’t drive you crazy, especially if you don’t seethe bird you were hoping to?Since moving to south Florida, I’ve beenlucky to find fantastic bird pals. We couldnot be more different, spanning ages, careers,religious and political views. What unites us isour appetite to see birds, and our passion fornature.Our typical Saturdays start at about 5 am andcontinue until almost midnight. Entertainingeach other, learning from each other andlaughing together are important for anyfriendship, and especially so for bird pals sincewe all think it is completely reasonable to drivethree or four hours (one way!) for a chance tosee a rare bird. That’s a lot of time trapped ina car—it helps if the conversation is sparkling.My bird friends and I talk about absolutelyeverything under the sun and even beyond.We talk about birds, of course, sharingidentification tips and revealing secret honeyholes that promise elusive species. We talk aboutscience and parascience, like whether UFOs arereal and being covered up by the government.Current events, music and books, relationshipspast and present. We recount stories aboutourselves.Once I was completely incapacitated withlaughter by my friend’s tale of a Led Zeppelinconcert that involved police and illegal drugs ofquestionable efficacy. Thank God we were at ared light, and I was able to keep a foot on theA northern bobwhite forages for food alonga dirt road in Florida.brake. I eventually recovered, drove on and wesaw that day’s target bird.Oh, my, the birds and sights we’ve seentogether. Once we watched a pair of eaglessoaring, chasing and following each other inexciting loops. Suddenly they reared up andlocked talons. One flipped upside down, andthey plunged towards the earth, free falling andspiraling hundreds of feet until finally breakingapart just above us. Breathtaking! Eagles andother raptors such as red-tailed hawks dothis cartwheeling fall occasionally as acts ofaggression, or more often as one of their manycourting rituals.Another thrilling encounter was with a placidnorthern bobwhite early one summer morning.These birds have suffered a sharp and worrisomepopulation decline because of overhunting andurbanization that caused loss of habitat. Seeinga bobwhite innocently living its life humblesme and fills me with joy, and I know my friendsfeel the same.Driving down a dirt road, we spotted one ofthe small quails ambling along the roadside’sedge, nimbly stretching to pluck seeds fromthe overhanging grass heads. We stopped thecar and got out to silently watch. The bird,chestnut brown with a peaked black and whitestriped head, took absolutely no notice of us.It meandered along, coming nearer, placidlywalking along and feeding. A few steps, a fewnibbles. Closer. Closer. Eventually it literallybumped into my friend’s shoe, looked up,saw us and startled, flying swiftly away andwhistling its eponymous “bob-WHITE!” call.Can you imagine? What an encounter! Andwhom better to share it with than friends whoappreciate both the rarity of such a gorgeousbird and the rare bond that comes fromexperiencing such wonder together.This season, set yourself up for wondrousoutings. Grab your optics and choose a likemindedfriend or make a new one on a NewJersey Audubon-guided walk.Who knows what wonders await?
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