Over a
decade of birdwatching has taught me that “if you feed them, they will come.”
This works with teenagers and a multitude of other creatures, too. Let me
explain.
I became a novice birder when I
married my husband, Gerry, who has been watching birds most of his life. His
backyards have always boasted bird feeders and bird houses and he’s been known
to grandfather dozens of nest of bluebirds in the spring. His bookshelves were
full of bird books when I met him, and they’ve become fuller since he married
me.
This past weekend, I read An
Introduction to Massachusetts Birds by Christopher Leahy. It’s a short
paperback book, pamphlet-sized actually, published by the Massachusetts Audubon
Society. A few years ago, I made it my New Year’s resolution to learn more
about the 300 species of birds that frequent the Bay State. I wouldn’t say I’ve
been consistent with this goal, but I’ve learned that I can at least impress my
grandchildren with a few names and facts here and there.
They
(the grandchildren) are certain to quickly surpass me in their birding
knowledge and I’m going to have to learn fast to keep up. One of our youngest, 1-1/2 year old Maeve, was
pointing out the dark-eyed juncos after Gerry’s introduction this past Sunday
morning. Our three-year old Phoebe is well aware that she bears the name of one
of her Papa’s favorite birds. Papa and
Phoebe counted over 50 robins in our front yard last weekend. Papa and I have viewed
the male and female cardinals with 2-year old twins Ava and Judah and their
1-1/2 year old cousin Gabby. We can’t wait for the youngest, 2-month old Jack
to point out Great Blue Herons as they pass overhead at dusk each summer evening
on their way to the rookeries with food for their babies.
Over the past four years, since
moving into a weekend home on the south coast, we’ve welcomed more and more
species of birds and more and more of them. Our journal notes over 45 types of
birds from those juncos just before the start of winter and the starlings and
blackbirds in the beginning of spring.
When
reading Leahy’s Introduction, I agreed immediately with his words of wisdom in
the very first chapter of the book. If your feeders are full and if you create
a welcoming space, the more likely that the birds will come. We know that when
we’ve been absent for a few weeks, we find it takes at least 24 or 36 hours
before the word is out and our backyard birds are back to visit.
Julie Zickefoose is the author of
some of the best books about birds. She and her husband, Bill Thompson, editor
of Bird Watcher’s Digest, both blog and write about birds from their home in
Whipple, Ohio. (Yes, Whipple. Named after the stream Whipple Run. Named after
the man who tripped and fell in the stream. True story.)
Husband Bill Thompson has written
numerous birding books, among them Birdwatching for Dummies. He’s also
collaborated on books with his wife, Julie as the illustrator. Some of those
are The New Birder's Guide to Birds of North America (2014) and Identify Yourself: the 50
Most Common Birding Identification Challenges (2005) and Natural Gardening for
Birds (2001). They’ve collaborated on
books for children suck as The Young Birder’s Guide to Birds of North America
(2012) and written and illustrated many more. Bill and Julie are simply the
best birding couple.
Books
written and illustrated by Bill’s wife, Julie Zickefoose, are lovely works of
art. They are supplemented by beautiful prose and they are my favorite books
about birding. The Bluebird Effect was published in 2012. Baby Birds was just
released just months ago in 2016.
Zickefoose started her career as a
field biologist and became a nature illustrator, using her own experiences with
birds and animals in Appalachia. She is a contributor to both NPR’s All Things
Considered and Bird Watcher’s Digest, writing articles and submitting cover
paintings the magazine. (Her website includes many other examples nature,
including mammals, amphibians, reptiles, insects and plants.)
The
Bluebird Effect is a published journal full of wonderful essays about a variety
of birds, organized by season. Among many other species, spring includes the
bluebird; summer the osprey; fall the red tail hawk; and winter the mourning
dove. Zickefoose questions whether bluebird and their nests would survive without
the gentle nurturing of their human beings concern. Bluebirds Mr. and Mrs. Troyer
nest four broods under the Thompson/Zickefoose loving care. Mr. Troyer never
returns one day, perhaps picked off by a sharp skin. Survivalist Mrs. Troyer
finds a new mate, younger than her last husband.
Osprey
live bountifully along the south coast of Massachusetts where many organizations
nurture their nests. These shorebirds summer in tall coastline habitats, built
by humans who care enough to nurture them.
Red tail hawks have landed on our woodpiles, always seeking the most
vulnerable of the birding and natural world. We’ve seen our feeders go
instantly still, birds suddenly freezing one second to the next, hoping the
hawks won’t detect a breath or shiver. Gangs of mourning doves gather below our
feeders and coo their delight in the seeds that have been generously dropped by
previous visitors.
Zickefoose’s
latest book, Baby Birds: An Artist Looks into the Nest, is a wonderful book to peruse
with a preschooler. The artist’s renditions chronicle the bird from egg through
chick to fledgling. The book includes all Eastern species including house
sparrows, northern cardinals, tufted titmouse and ruby-throated
hummingbirds. When reading to a 3 or 4-year
old, almost all of the prose can be abbreviated. The illustrations can tell the
story.
Sharing
nature, particularly wildlife such as birds, can be an added bonus to everyone,
whether it be with your children, friends, grandchildren, or spouses. Bill
Thompson brings their children, Phoebe and Liam, birding and points out reasons
why children should become birders early in life. His wife, Julie Zickefoose
admits, “Every day I find something new.”
