V20 N22

Bird Droppings
Dispatches from the nation’s birdwatching capital… by Seymore Thanu
Once you’ve crisped yourself at the
beach and scoped out the mall, consider
broadening your Cape May
experience by going on a Cape May
Bird Observatory field trip. Yes, it
will mean having to rise before noon. Up with
the birds you know, but CMBO’s leisurely
paced, information-packed “field trips,” are
bound to open your eyes to a whole new parallel
universe of discovery and wonder.
For North America’s 45 million bird
watchers, every day is a treasure hunt. It’s
Pokémon Go for real and every new bird species
you engage by sight or sound becomes
another token of achievement, a feather in
your cap. And the adventure only begins in
Cape May, North America’s most famous bird
watching destination.
Here are some fundamental dos and
don’ts. Arrive early and let the leaders know
you are new to this. They’ll offer you added
support to help locate target species. Wellbehaved
children are welcome and those
under 15 are free, otherwise there is a $10 fee.
Stay close to the leader so you can hear
their directions to birds but do not walk ahead
of the leader. Stop when they stop and try to
avoid shuffling your feet in gravel or leaves.
Your leader has heard a bird and is trying to
locate the vocalist. Yes, heard birds count on
your tally. For some species, like the raucous,
buffoonish, Yellow-breasted Chat, the song is
the best part, a run-on series of toots, whistles,
chatters, snorts and squeals. Another
local vocalist is Prairie Warbler, whose buzzy
song rises in pitch. Mostly yellow with black
goggles around the eyes, Prairie Warblers
habitually pump their tails and like to sing
from the topmost branches of a cedar or
shrub. Other birds like Indigo Bunting have
more complex vocalizations — a series of loud
clear, paired whistles, phonetically rendered,
“What, what? Where? Where? See it, see it.”
Males are an eye-searing blue and if your field
trip leader gets you onto one, the summer sky
hues will blow you back to a brain stem.
Vivid colors and arresting vocalizations
are just two of the reasons to watch birds.
Bird watching is a hobby enjoyed by a broad
cross-section of society and it is open to anyone
no matter your age, political disposition,
or belt size. Me? I started birding at the age
of 7 to get away from adults. It worked for
years and then, unaccountably, bird watching
became North America’s fastest growing
outdoor activity. Binoculars and a field guide
are all you need to gain access into this world
of discovery.
July 7, 2022 EXIT ZERO Page 41