NFR Bird Watching for Beginners?

[Jim in Anacortes]

Yesterday I was anchored off a small island near Lopez Island. Two juvenile Golden Eagles gave me a spectacular show. One of them was swooping directly above the boat. The other one was having fun swooping over a wash rock, terrorizing the seagulls. All the gulls would freak out and fly away, only to return moments later. That one Eagle swooped this wash rock about ten times in one hour. Golden Eagles are badass, and they mostly eat mammals, I think that this juvenile was simply having fun harassing the gulls...... In my book, that's good bird watching.

 

[Jim in Anacortes]

Title of the thread "Bird Watching for Beginners". I believe that my post above illustrates the joy of simply observing. I was using quality binoculars to observe the eagles as they perched on rocks, however, by putting down the binoculars and looking at the bigger picture it made the experience of "bird watching" that much more fulfilling. At one point, a Bald Eagle came into the show. He looked small! And his wing tips looked so much different, and the way he flapped his wings was so different. So, now I can distinguish a Bald Eagle from a Golden Eagle at a very long distance.

 

[cdnred]

I'm thinking that your daughter may already have a book on birds but I found this book to be invaluable for bird identification and taking out to the field. It comes specifically for different areas of the country. The pictures in it are very detailed making ID quite simple. You may be able to find one at a used book store..

Amazon product ASIN 0679428518

 

[Kilchis]

I suggest that you download the Merlin bird i d app if you will be photographing birds. It's free and excellent.

 

[Otter]

JayB, find out if there's a bird-banding operation near you, and if possible, visit it with your daughter. There's one near my place, that's operated by the university here in town. One year, it was open to a limited number of visitors. I've been interested in birds (and all nature) all of my long life, and seeing birds up close was a game changer in my appreciation and interest. The details of their bodies (feathers, claws, etc.), even those of common little brown birds, are absolutely fantastic. I saw your daughter's very detailed bird drawings in the birding discussion, so I know she would be extremely happy to see birds up close.

This banding station is set up in the woods at the edge of a marsh, so there's a good mix of habitat, which means a good variety of bird species.

I've been to another bird banding event, which is specifically for one species; the purple martin. Young are banded while they are still in their nest boxes, which had been installed on the wood pilings at marinas, seashores, and lakeshores. Like the university's banding operation, the folks there share a lot of amazing bird facts. Here's one: Purple martins nest here in the PNW in the summer, then migrate thousands of kilometres to Brazil for the winter. The young birds leave before the parents. Nobody knows how they know where to go, since they've never been shown by their parents. Maybe your daughter will one day uncover this mystery!

 

[dirty dog]

I started watching the birds at a early age, like third grade, why, simple.
The birds in the giant trees around the school were more interesting than what the teacher had to say or what he/she put on the black board.
My teacher took notice and being a birder herself started taking the class for walks around the neighbor hood to check out the local birds.
Today I have bird feeders on both sides of my house and a humming bird feeder that I leave out even in winter.
I'm proud to know you and your family love the birds too.

 

[Scott Salzer]

JayB - You might also like this info.

https://www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/recreation-activities/oregon-washington/steens-mountain

 

[wanderingrichard]

I don't have a picture, t th the little buggers are too fast, but I've been seeing this bird in my back yard lately;

predominantly white body, a dark patch on each wing, head shape like a blue jay , having a dark crest and eye mask. About 1/2 to 3/4 the size of a typical Robin.

Any idea what I might be looking at ?

 

[Peatbog]

I'm thinking that your daughter may already have a book on birds but I found this book to be invaluable for bird identification and taking out to the field. It comes specifically for different areas of the country. The pictures in it are very detailed making ID quite simple. You may be able to find one at a used book store..

Amazon product ASIN 0679428518

I have an old copy of that book given to me by my grandmother. For years we would hear the call of the varied thrush coming from the woods behind the house but we never could identify it. One morning while reading the paper in the morning,at the front window with a magical view of Mt Rainier one landed in the yard in front of us and sang it's song. It was a moment I will die with and every spring I listen to the beautiful song of my grandma birds.

 

[Peatbog]

Spring is just around the corner the funnest time to hang with the birds. It's not to late for bird houses. Have fun!

 

[Scott Salzer]

The owls should be calling now or very soon.

 

[Scott Salzer]

Wanderingrichard:

I'm pretty good with birds but I sure don't have an idea on what it is from your description.

There are "leucistic" birds that tend to be whitish version of the regular bird. I have seen it in robins and chickadees.

 

[wanderingrichard]

Wanderingrichard:

I'm pretty good with birds but I sure don't have an idea on what it is from your description.

There are "leucistic" birds that tend to be whitish version of the regular bird. I have seen it in robins and chickadees.

Thanks. After posting that, I noticed Kilchis had mentioned the Merlin Birding App so I downloaded that to use as a reference. Hope I can get a picture soon to share.

 

[kerrys]

The owls should be calling now or very soon.

Curious. Do they migrate? Do owls go quiet in winter? Now that you mention them I realize I am not hearing the owls around here calling out. Never really paid much attention to them calling or not.

 

[Scott Salzer]

Kerry:

Yes and no on migrate, depends on the owl. With the exception of the barred, they are pretty quiet in winter. The calling will pick up as they seek mates, which is now.
Seeing snowy owls at Damon Point during an irruption year is special.
Besides Merlin, I also go to birdweb.org, Seattle Audubon Society. Type on the bird name and go to “Find in WA” to see when they are common, rare or just not found there.
If you can imitate the call, barred and great-horned are pretty good at responding, until they find you have two legs, no feathers and can’t fit in the nesting site.

 

[kerrys]

Kerry:

Yes and no on migrate, depends on the owl. With the exception of the barred, they are pretty quiet in winter. The calling will pick up as they seek mates, which is now.
Seeing snowy owls at Damon Point during an irruption year is special.
Besides Merlin, I also go to birdweb.org, Seattle Audubon Society. Type on the bird name and go to “Find in WA” to see when they are common, rare or just not found there.
If you can imitate the call, barred and great-horned are pretty good at responding, until they find you have two legs, no feathers and can’t fit in the nesting site.

My backyard…

I think he was trying to decide if he could kill me. I do know Great-horned owls are fearless hunters.

 

[Stacey]

If you can imitate the call, barred and great-horned are pretty good at responding, until they find you have two legs, no feathers and can’t fit in the nesting site.

I've noticed this too. I imagine the owls rolling their eyes when they get a good look at who's calling them. The ravens though - they're happy to investigate. You never know, the silly human might have snacks to share

 

[Stacey]

For years we would hear the call of the varied thrush coming from the woods behind the house but we never could identify it. One morning while reading the paper in the morning,at the front window with a magical view of Mt Rainier one landed in the yard in front of us and sang it's song. It was a moment I will die with and every spring I listen to the beautiful song of my grandma birds.

The varied thrush are one of my favorites! It took me years to identify them from their calls as well. I would often hear them when I was out walking in the woods, but could never spot who was singing. This year, they've come to visit my feeder twice - both times on the very coldest, snowiest days. I imagine they're only willing to come so close to people when their other sources of food are scarce. I still feel honored by their visit though, no matter the reason.

 

[Kilchis]

I don't have a picture, t th the little buggers are too fast, but I've been seeing this bird in my back yard lately;

predominantly white body, a dark patch on each wing, head shape like a blue jay , having a dark crest and eye mask. About 1/2 to 3/4 the size of a typical Robin.

Any idea what I might be looking at ?

Look up Northern Shrike and Gray Jay.

 

[Peatbog]

The varied thrush are one of my favorites! It took me years to identify them from their calls as well. I would often hear them when I was out walking in the woods, but could never spot who was singing. This year, they've come to visit my feeder twice - both times on the very coldest, snowiest days. I imagine they're only willing to come so close to people when their other sources of food are scarce. I still feel honored by their visit though, no matter the reason.

Grandma would only feed the birds during the winter said they were better off fending for themselves when times were good. They are shy and they blend in with the Robins and they often feed underneath the brush out of site. Fun stuff. Now that I know what they look like I see more of them hanging out with their cousins in the spring.