Plumbeous Vireo courtesy Gordon Karre
In Part 1 I wrote about bird baths and feeders. Part 2 is all about technology, binoculars, books, and magazines. Let me start with how much information and fun technology brings to the birding experience.
For the past several weeks I’ve heard a bird calling high in the trees around our house. I finally was able to spot it with my binoculars, but it was a bit of a challenge to get a really good look as I strained my neck peering straight up into the Ponderosa Pine. It was mostly pale underneath and had a narrow beak – indicative of insect-eaters, not seed-eaters. It also seemed larger than a warbler, so my first thought was a vireo. I whipped out my smart phone and pulled up the iBird application. Scrolled to “vireos” and looked at the pale-breasted vireo options. Assumed this was a breeding bird since I had been hearing it for a few weeks now. Considered the Plumbeous Vireo because its habitat and range were right – including breeding in northern Arizona in coniferous and mixed forests. But to finally put the nail in the coffin, so to speak, I hit the “sound icon” on my phone ap and heard the vocalization. Bingo! Within just a couple of minutes using my binoculars and iBird, I confirmed that the bird I had been hearing was indeed a Plumbeous Vireo – another life bird for me, and right here in our Munds Park front yard.
Technology has helped me a lot when birding. I use the internet to learn all about bird festivals and their schedules and to search for a bird and learn more about it. The Cornell University Lab of Ornithology site is excellent – http://www.birds.cornell.edu. I’ve pulled up nest box plans from the North Dakota State Game and Fish Department’s website and built Screech Owl, Chickadee, and Bluebird houses. For my Pinewood News articles I go to Gordon Karre’s Flickr account and download one of his wonderful photos to supplement the text. Just a cut and paste, and then I send everything off via e-mail to our paper’s editor for uploading. I have two bird field guides on my iPhone: iBird and Peterson’s Birds of North America. The first one was $20, and I got the Peterson’s ap for $1 during a special sale. I also have traditional book field guides including several of Peterson’s and Sibley’s, which are great, but wow, what handy resources to have when out and about – two comprehensive field guides in my smart phone!
Of course, binoculars are a must when birding. Telescopes and binoculars were invented in the early 17th century, and today they are refined into many different types at varying costs. I have six pairs – one I keep in my golf bag. My favorites are a Swift Audubon 8.5×44 that my husband bought me over 20 years ago. It’s just a good solid wide-angle choice that works well with a neck/shoulder harness. I also really like my smallest pair – a Leopold 6×32 that is great around the house here. It is light-weight, focuses at a distance of six feet, and fits well in a carry-on when I travel.
Finally, let me quickly mention the magazines I subscribe to: 1) Bird Watchers Digest – family-owned publication, also with an on-line version, small enough to carry in a purse, with a variety of articles about species, birding destinations, Q&As, humor, and special interest articles. Need a great gift for someone who likes birds? Get them a subscription for $30 a year. 2) Birds and Blooms, for a light/fun reading about gardens and birds. I was introduced to this magazine by my Munds Park neighbor who gave me her back issues to read a few years ago. The special price now is $20 for two years. 3) Arizona Wildlife Views, a publication of the Arizona Game and Fish Department for the nature-lovers and hunters in Arizona. The cost of an annual subscription is $8.50.
Last but not least – I am happy to report that two of my golfing friends spotted the “blue-billed” duck on the pond at Hole 18 on different days – so the Ruddy Duck has come back, at least for a few days. I will let you know if we see it again. That’s why binoculars in my golf bag come in handy!
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