I am a birdwatcher, in the true sense of the word. I watch birds. That's it, I do not bird identify or bird call or bird travel or even care what bird it is that I am currently watching. I just want to watch birds.
I've noticed that when I mention to someone that I am a birdwatcher, they have one of three responses. Either they get all excited and say 1) "oh have you seen the ____(insert scientific name here___?) that has been seen in the Eastern part of Delaware lately?? , or 2) they say "oh I know somebody(usually a grandmother or single person with no other identifying characteristics ) who birdwatches", or 3) they sigh and say "nice".
Now there is nothing wrong with those responses but do you notice why it might frustrate me, a mild mannered, occasionally excitable birdwatcher? How do you comment on the bright red pair of cardinals you saw on your back deck as you were sipping your coffee? How does one share their happy feeling that a hummingbird(only a bird identifier knows which one)has slowed down enough to be spotted? and heavenly days! I am NUTS if I get one in my camera lens.
I just want to tell someone of my enthusiasm for these wonderfully different and lovely creatures that God created, without being expected to know their call, their breeding habits and their colors in winter. I do not even care if they have a scientific name and specific area of flight.
Count the hawks in Cape May Bird Sanctuary if you want to, but I want to spot one soaring above my head!!
OK, so do not get me started about the FEEDING !! I go to the local store (yes, bird people I buy it at the Walmart, Target or Grocery store-whoever has it cheapest!) and often buy it in a 10 lb bag. It is either that or limit my purchases to only a 3 lb. bag of birdseed and TWO loaves of genereic wheat bread on sale.[this for me] A person has to be thrifty and birds are included in that life choice. Oh horrors! I do not buy sunflower seed already hulled, oiled and shucked for my precious ones. I just want to WATCH them, not create a diet for them that is better than my own!! Do you think I ever dare mention that in public? Not a chance, thank you.
I believe my passion started when I was a small girl visiting my grandma Miller. She had a kitchen window that looked out over an expanse of woods. She would thoughtfully toast a piece of bread(always white, I might add here) and then spread peanut butter on it. Then she carefully opened the window above her sink and placed the food on the outer sill for the birds to enjoy. Lo and behold they came rapidly and boldly as she exclaimed excitedly when she saw "black capped chickadees"!
To this day, the little chickadee is my sign that it is time to get the birdseed , butter the bread, and lay it across the back deck, all the while laughing as the squirrels share it along with Perfect, our dog, who loves grabbing the spoils.
You see, I am a birdwatcher, and watching birds is ALL that I do.
3 comments:
I am a bird eater, and eating birds is all I do. Pheasant, turkey, chicken, cornish hen, quail, and an occasional duck. I cannot tell you nesting habits or mating calls, but I can give you some great recipes and serving suggestions. Yuck yuck yuck. Hey, was that a duck?
Aha, but you DO identify birds! You know cardinals, hummingbirds, chickadees, and even roadrunners, so you're smarter than you think! I like to have field guides around to check on bird IDs, it drives me crazy to see a bird and not know what it is.
Say, that's a great shot of the roadrunner! I just viewed it in fullscreen and it's a beauty!
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