Birdwatching in the springtime

White-Crowned Sparrow, by Joe Meche
"If this photo doesn't say spring, I don't know what does."

Before I moved to the Pacific Northwest four years ago, I never even knew about the pastime of birdwatching and had never thought of feeding the birds. The only thing I knew about those winged creatures was that they sang some pretty cool songs, and I could even identify the meadowlark's beautiful trilling song. And the harsh caw of crows, I knew what they sounded like. I also remember when we had a heavy outbreak of the West Nile virus in Colorado, and suddenly the ubiquitous sound of all birdsong disappeared for many months.

It was maybe three years ago in the wintertime that I noticed some other apartment tenants had sprinkled birdseed on the ground, and I saw all the little bird tracks in the snow. I realized that they probably needed a bit of help during the cold winter months, and I took my first step into the world of birdwatching. After buying some birdseed and putting it out on my porch, within an hour I had little birdies I couldn't identify snacking away. I was thrilled and thus began my love affair with them. 

Bushtit making a nest, by Joe Meche

American Dipper having lunch, by Joe Meche

When a friend at the gym (who is a long-time birder) told me about the online Whatcom Birding Group at Western Washington University, I eagerly joined the listserv and have had my emailbox filled with pictures of birds for years now, giving me a way to identify the ones I've been seeing. I know which ones migrate, show up for awhile and move on, and how to be a good friend to the birds. Joe Meche, who took all the pictures I am putting up here today except for one, sent them to my emailbox this spring. Joe is the current president of the North Cascades Audubon Society and maintains a wonderful newsletter with information about birds and birding (just a click away on the NCAS website).

This beautiful bird is a Great Blue Heron, and Joe said this about it when he sent the email last week: "An adult GBHE flew into the area of the lower creek that's been patrolled by a juvenile heron for more than six months. I didn't see the juvenile anywhere this afternoon." (GBHE is the birders' shorthand for the species when they make a bird count, I've learned.) It makes me wonder what happened to the youngster, but isn't this guy magnificent?

This is the one picture not taken by Joe, but instead by Doug Brown. In the email he sent two pictures, one of an adult Song Sparrow with some hapless bug in its mouth, with this comment: "At a Scudder Pond Song Sparrow nest, one of the parents prepares to make a delivery. The four (or more) targets of the delivery can't be missed." Sometimes I wonder how these little birds manage to feed so many babies! It's a busy time here in the bird world.

And best of all, for me anyway, is that I know what the sound of the song that White-Crowned Sparrow is singing. I've been hearing it for a month now, and some of their relatives have even been availing themselves of the sunflower seeds on my porch and visiting me. I am enjoying birdwatching more than ever!