6 Ways To Re-Ignite The Birding Fire

My interest in birding never disappears but the intensity of interest wanes from time to time. I had an enjoyable outing yesterday as I explored the landscape surrounding the old Middletown landfill area which now has short walking trails.

The view from the top of the hill which was formerly a mound of trash is now topped with solar panels but also has a nice view of the boggy meadows below. I think that an enjoyable outing when it comes to birdwatching, like many things, is all in your state of mind. There are scores of ways that can help that re-spark your birding interest but here are 5 that came to mind yesterday.

1) Treat The Surrounding Landscape As If It were A Painting: Instead of targeting birds like you're on mission, just stop and absorb the landscape. Treat it as though it is a rare work of art in a museum. Nature, after all, is a work of art that deserves to be savored. By taking this approach you may look for birds in places you may not have thought of, be more alert to their presence, and it will help slow you down so that you become a more patient observer. 

2) Clean Up Your Laptop Or Replace It If Needed: Many birders also take photographs, keep records, post on social media sites, blog etc. I personally find that it helps to do basic things like delete unwanted photos or update things. In my case I bought a laptop about 6 years ago that was a lemon from practically day one. Tring to do get anything done on it was like trying to walk through a foot of snow wearing cement shoes. It was so slow that it kind of put a damper on things. I don't know why I waited so long to replace it except that I was determined to get my money's worth out of it first. If your time on the computer doing bird related things are more pleasant it may inspire you to get back out in the field as well.

3) If A Bird Is Putting On A Show Just Stand Still: If a bird or birds are showing off for you just stand still and observe. It sounds simple enough but many of have a tendency to take a quick look and just move on.

4) Clean Your Binocular And Camera Lenses Properly: I don't do this often enough because overcleaning can lead to scratches. Usually, I'll just breathe on a smudge and spot clean it with a microfiber cloth. I took out the old kit the other day and gave it the works-dust-blower, camera brush, lens spray cleaner, and finished off with a lens cloth. It may be partly psychological but everything seemed to be a little sharper.

This serves more than one purpose. For one, you get to enjoy the behavioral observation aspect of birding but this patient observing can also lead to other species that may emerge from the shadows. 

As in this case when Yellow-rumped Warblers and various sparrows  came into view as I was focused on observing the Carolina Wren 

(above). To round things off here are 4 and 5. 

5) Wear Warm Clothes And Boots In The Winter: You would think this one would be common sense but I grew up in a time when guys would use phrases like "tough it out" and we'd around in short sleeves in the winter. The most common heating source while you were out fishing or in the woods was a shot of blackberry brandy. It might taste good but on a scientific level it doesn't work. Those days are long gone. Now I dress as warmly as possible in the winter and this simple concept can turn a nearly intolerable outing into a very comfortable one.

6) Go To Places That Other Birders Aren't Going: This is one I try to remind myself to follow as much as possible. While it's nice to know that you can see certain species that others have already reported it can also take some of the magic out of it. You might be focused on trying to find birds others have already seen and even if you find what you're looking for it takes away the element of surprise and the excitement of discovering something new while exploring an area that hasn't been on the radar. 

More Birders And Technology Changed Birding

When I first became interested in birding I was able to reach out to birding clubs and other birders to get advice on how to go about becoming a birder. At that time I would hear about things like making sketches of rare birds so that you would have evidence of what you've seen. If you wanted to photograph them you needed and SLR camera with a long lens which was outside of the price range of most new birders. Then they started manufacturing superzoom cameras for just a few hundred bucks. They don't usually produce the results you can get with the SLR but sketching birds became the art of the few as cameras are a lot easier. 

I was finally able to find my first Black-backed Woodpecker by calling the head of an Audubon chapter in Vermont who was kind enough to give me great advice on where to look for them. They like partially burned forests of a certain type of tree and eat specific types of beetles. That was a lot of fun to finally track them down.

A good old fashioned book told me where to look for Gray Jays. They call them Canada Jays now. These birds were known to be super tolerant of humans. That was a long time ago though. Maybe they've grown tired of us by now?

I think I found out about this Fork-tailed Flycatcher through a list server. I don't believe eBird was around at that time or at least I wasn't aware of it.

Between eBird and Merlin you can get instant alerts about where rare birds are, have your phone identify them by sound, and send photos  for instant verification. It also records bird songs for you so that you can gather evidence of your sighting. This has supercharged the birding game, helping birders quickly accumulate large lists of species in a short amount of time. Of course, you still have to be out there and active to do this. I think these advances in technology has made the sport/hobby/science of birding more popular than ever. People being stuck home during covid further increased the number of new people interested in birding. 

The newer technology has helped draw in a lot of new younger birders as younger generations were practically born with a cell phone in their hands.Back in the "old days" birders will tell you about how they had telephone chain calls to get the word out about a rare bird sighting. You tell a birding friend then they call a birding friend and so on. You had to rely on things like field guides and tape recorders to identify birds. Some of the old timers still do it that way. I'm stuck somewhere in between. I use some technology but I miss some of those old ways. The Black-necked Stilt and Roseate Spoonbill in photos 4 and 5 reported to me by phone by a fellow birder (although it was actually a text). Seeing rare birds is nice but find them through pure serendipity might be the most rewarding way. I found my first Sandhill Cranes strictly by chance while out on a walk. This American White Pelican flew right over my backyard while I was cutting the grass! In most cases rare bird is a relative term. The birds I posted here are rare to me but may be common in other places.

Lost In An Ocean Of Birding

I haven't gotten out that much this month and have been kind of aimless when I did. I was hoping to find a particular species when I visited Hammonasset but it was one of those-"You should have been here yesterday" scenarios. In other news: Hammonasset means "where we dig holes in the ground" in the Algonquian language. 
I was actually looking for winter ducks at a pond when this Belted Kingfisher got in my way so I took his photo gave him a bit of a haircut while I was at it. There was well over 100 Ruddy Ducks in the pond that day.

Next big thing to look forward to will be the Audubon Christmas counts in December. Until then, I just plan to stick to the basics.

Sneaky Sparrow And A Touch Of Foliage

I managed to spend a little time looking for migrating sparrows in October. The top one is a Vesper Sparrow. It has some similarities to a Savannah Sparrow but is distinguished by that bold eye ring. It doesn't have that yellow on the side of the face like Savannahs often do. These are less commonly seen and seem a little more shy than some of its cousins.

Here's a Savannah Sparrow. they have fine streaking on the breast and often show yellow on the side of their face. Not always though. They also like to perch on top of things like fences. I appreciate that. it makes life a little easier.

I don't know what happened to foliage mania this year. I didn't hear much about it and didn't see a lot of it. I did find a touch of color while out on an early morning walk in Maromas village. November is already here! This month will be a good time to continue looking for interesting migrating waterfowl.

I spent some time wandering around the old tobacco fields. They don't grow tobacco there any more but do use them for fruits and vegetables. I found some interesting birds out there including American Pipits and Purple Finches. I enjoyed watching a pair of Northern Flickers spending time on this evergreen.

A male House Finch stayed at the top performing guard duty for all.

A few of the old buildings still remain. Many a teenager worked in these tobacco fields back in the day, myself included. It was a dirty job but it was a way to make money. 

Eventually there will be nothing left to these old tobacco sheds but fortunately, local historians have captured a pictural record of them. 

Connecticut Shade Tobacco

Giant Pumpkin, Goats, and Bluegrass

September and October is fair season around Connecticut. Durham Fair is extremely crowded at night but fairly quiet in the morning. The pumpkin at the top is a record for this particular fair. 2,181 pounds. Try finding a pie pan big enough for that one!

These goats are well-behaved and seem to get along with each other.

I believe the name of this bluegrass band was String Theory. They were very good, especially the guitar player. The fair is a nice place to wander around on a fall morning!

As We Enter The Fall Season

As we enter the fall season many birders are out scouting the fields for the arrival of new species of sparrow that may be passing through.

Lincoln's Sparrow is one that we keep  our eyes open for. Sparrows can be a little tricky to identify, especially if you are new to birding. I always notice a caramel wash on its breast. It has that eyeline that works its way back to a sort of triangle, and a little grayish on the side of the face. There are other things to look for as well but the most important thing is to remember as many details as possible before looking in your field guide. If you're still not confident, you can upload your photo to a birding website like Birdforum.

The birdbath continues to work out well. Recently, there has been 5 bluebirds that take daily baths which I am pleased about. 30 years ago there were very few bluebirds around. Now I see them everywhere! At the same time. House Sparrows seem to be in decline. They used to fight with bluebirds over nestboxes.

While out looking for sparrows in the fields, I come across other surprises here and there like this Merlin with its intimidating scan across the field. 

I'm much looking forward as we move further into fall as more sparrows pour into the fields. I must say, the weather has been overall excellent over the summer and into the fall. We had a couple of very hot weeks but overall the weather has been very comfortable! I am  hopeful that real fall weather hangs on now before winter takes hold.

Repurposed Birdbath Visitors Finally Arrive

I like it when I can make use of things that are just hanging around waiting to be thrown out. I bought a fire bowl for 35 bucks many years ago. The thin metal bowl part rusted out in less than 2 years but the base had a heavy duty metal braided design. I always felt like I might be able to do something with it so I never got rid of it.

An idea finally came to me. I turned the base upside down and it had a bit of a dish design on the bottom which was too rusty to hold water for birds. I found a plastic terra cotta dish that matched the size and placed it inside. Small birds don't like deep water, preferring a water depth of about an inch. This one was about an inch and a half so I placed some flat rocks on the bottom. Birds also like the sound of moving water or dripping water so I took a gallon sized water jug and poked a pushpin sized hole in the bottom. I finished it off by putting a branch between 2 ornamental garden fence pieces and set it up so it was just above the bath so birds could perch on it.

The first birds to show up were actually goldfinches but I wasn't fast enough getting the camera. The chickadee hung around a little bit longer.

The Tufted Titmouse is a relative of the chickadee and he showed up a few minutes after his cousin.

It's always nice when a plan comes together!

Sparse Birding While Waiting For Migration

I haven't been doing much in terms of active birding this month. Just poking around here and there. I caught a Bald Eagle which is still waiting for fully white head feathers.

I also see a few things here and there down by the shore like this Willet while looking for a local breakfast diner.

 I'm looking forward to the major hawk migration in mid-September as well as some new sparrows and warblers that will soon be showing up. 

Don't Judge A Pond By Its Stench!

                                                 There is a pond that runs right through the middle of town called Pameecha Pond. It was originally a stream and the word Pameecha came from the Wangunk Tribe that once lived in the area. It is roughly translated to mean "water between two stones". These days I might refer to it as mud between two tires.Although it may not be the most scenic pond, it does attract wildlife. We often see Great blue Herons and great Egrets there. The mud can get a little stinky so maybe this heron was trying to catch a breath of fresh air? I also spotted some shorebirds that a fellow birder had told me about but they blended in with the mud background so much that I thought I would try to get a closer look.                                                                              

That resulted in me sinking up to my knees in quicksand, or quickmud in this case.

It's always a nice to find shorebirds right in your local urban pond rather than having to drive down to the shore to find them. The little one is a Least Sandpiper and the other two are Semipalmated Plovers. You don't see those all that often inland.

Birds don't choose habitat by how nice it smells or looks. Humans tend to be the ones that do that. Birds just want to find food to survive. In this case these mudflats fit the bill.  

Goldfinch Flower And Hummingbird Fence

I don't always pay close attention to goldfinches because there are so many of them around but when they land on top of a flower I take notice. This one landed on a Zinnia, but...

It seemed more interested in spending time in the sunflower plants.This hummingbird landed on a fence for a split second but seemed to have evil intent in its eye as it was off fighting another hummingbird a moment later!

During the hot weather sometimes it's better to sit still and just watch the action unfold.

You Need Not Be Birding To See Birds

I've been out for some morning walks along the Connecticut River. Most of my birding has been limited to what I hear or what I see without the aid of binoculars. I was really out for a bit of exercise. Now and then I would stop to take a picture but had to move along quickly to avoid being ambushed by deer flies which seem to have an appetite for human flesh.

The Osprey is getting ready to plunge into the river to grab an unsuspecting fish.

It won't be long before Tree Swallows once a gain form huge flocks as they start their way down to the shore readying for their migration flight.  I almost didn't notice this Cedar Waxwing silently hiding in a shady plant. Always birds to see, even when you're not looking for them.

Gardening, Flowers, And Strange Flies

I haven't been out birding much lately but have managed to keep the gardens going. This photo is a few weeks old. There are actually six barrels all together. I've been harvesting cucumbers, peppers and plum tomatoes in the six barrels( 2 out of view). Swiss chard has been my most used vegetable as it keeps coming back. I also grew parsley, micro basil, and rosemary. Herbs are easy to grow but I never seem to use as much as I grow,

I've got a flower garden going to. Each year I try to add a perennial so i don't have to use as many annuals to bolster the garden. This plant is called India Pink Spigelia. Hummingbirds have visited them a few times so far.

This insect was about 1-1/2" long and was hanging out in the mulch around the flower beds. At first, I thought it was some king of ground wasp. It had a big orange stripe around its abdomen. It turned out to be a Clubbed Mydas Fly which look intimidating but don't sting and are actually good pollinators! I'm starting to catch on with flies that don't look like flies. They all seem to have over-sized eyes.

First Look At A Grasshopper Sparrow In Years!

There's only a few select areas where you regularly see Grasshopper Sparrows in Connecticut. Years ago their was a large area of land in East Hartford where I went to see them but that habitat was ruined due to development. I also had one crummy photo of one from Northwest Park from about 25 years ago so I was glad to get a closeup look and photo at Suffield Wildlife Management Area. 

Fortunately, they managed large field areas in Suffield CT which is also half in Massachusetts which eventually became good habitat for these prized sparrows. I was able to see my first Blue Grosbeak there as well which is considered a rarity. The Grasshopper Sparrow has a buzzy insect-like call and as the name suggests, they like to eat grasshoppers.

I've seen several attempts at trying to manage large open fields to try to attract grassland species of birds but it doesn't always work. Birds like meadowlarks, Bobolinks, and the many other grassland species can be very particular. What looks good to us may not be quite appealing enough to attract the desired species.

I was glad to see their efforts paid off at the Suffield Wildlife Management area!

Watch Those Birds And Watch Your Step!

When I'm out watching birds I try to watch out for other creatures like snakes! I almost stepped on this one which I think is a Northern Water Snake? I looked it up and although not poisonous, they can inflict a painful bite if cornered. Maybe there are some people that don't mind being bitten by snakes but I'm not one of them. I prefer not to be bitten!
 

I don't want to step on butterflies either. I don't think they would bite me but they sure do beautify their landscape. I think this is the eastern Tiger Swallowtail.Getting photos of warblers is no easy feat. Prairie Warblers are one of the easier ones to get. The move around a lot like most warblers do but they tend to stay near eye level a lot as they nest fairly close to ground level. Yellow Warblers are one of the most common warblers. They're easy enough for me to get photos of but most of them come out as bright yellow blobs. At least this one shows the red streaks and bright eye.

We are moving into the summer season so the warbler bonanza will slow down. June will be more of an opportunity to observe fledglings leaving the nest. Trying to find comfortable places to go and having the patience to wait for birds to emerge their fortress of foliage will be the challenge!