Birding for beginners at the FWG

After a brief introduction to birding, Dave led participants around the trails at the FWG to see what birds could be found… 

by Sandy Garland

This spring, we were delighted when Dave Moore agreed to give three workshops for people who want to get started in bird watching or birding. The first two have been a huge success, and you still have a chance to attend one more on 20 August.

Dave is not only an expert birder, but he’s also an expert explainer. When he tells you how to recognize a bird, you remember what he said. Also, he came prepared with handouts filled with basic information about binoculars, bird ID, resources, and more. (These sheets can be downloaded from our web site: INFO FOR BEGINNERS | ABOUT BINOCULARS.)

During the 11 June excursion, we saw most of the usual residents at the FWG:
Black-capped Chickadee, American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Downy Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-winged Blackbird. But the highlights of the morning were an Indigo Bunting and, later, a Red-tailed Hawk that sailed overhead, then came back for another look at us.

For the second workshop on July 30, Dave had further prepared by recording the sounds of many birds we would see. Hearing them played several times helped us associate the song with specific birds, like the Warbling Vireo and Song Sparrow. We also learned that, as we age, we will no longer be able to hear Cedar Waxwings, whose sounds are very high-pitched.

“Best birds” seen during the second outing were a House Wren and the Pileated Woodpecker that flew over our heads as we were chatting in the FWG’s Backyard Garden after the walk.

Here’s a list of the birds we’ve seen so far. I hope you can join us on August 20 for the last of these enjoyable and informative workshops.