Schneck Marcus - Birdwatchers daily companion : 365 days of advice, insight, and information for enthusiastic birders

Birdwatchers
DAILY COMPANION

365 Days
of Advice, Insight,
and Information for
Enthusiastic Birders

Marcus H. Schneck and Tom Warhol

The truth of the matter is, the birds could very well live without us, but manyperhaps allof us would find life incomplete, indeed almost intolerable without the birds.

Roger Tory Peterson

2010, 2011 by Quarry Books

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the copyright owners. All images in this book have been reproduced with the knowledge and prior consent of the artists concerned, and no responsibility is accepted by the producer, publisher, or printer for any infringement of copyright or otherwise, arising from the contents of this publication. Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied. We apologize for any inaccuracies that may have occurred and will resolve inaccurate or missing information in a subsequent reprinting of the book.

First published in the United States of America by
Quarry Books, a member of
Quayside Publishing Group
100 Cummings Center
Suite 406-L
Beverly, Massachusetts 01915-6101
Telephone: (978) 282-9590
Fax: (978) 283-2742
www.quarrybooks.com

Digital edition: 978-1-61059-399-1
Softcover edition: 978-1-59253-650-4

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Warhol, Tom.
Birdwatcher's daily companion : 365 days of advice, insight, and information for enthusiastic birders / Tom Warhol,
Marcus H. Schneck.

p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-59253-650-4
ISBN-10: 1-59253-650-6
1. Bird watching. I. Schneck, Marcus. II. Title.
QL677.5.W337 2010
598.072'34dc22

2010019106

ISBN-13: 978-1-59253-650-4
ISBN-10: 1-59253-650-6

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Design: everlution design
Illustrations: Judy Love
The illustrations on pages 28, 111, 187, and 222 were first published in The All-Season Backyard Birdwatcher (Quarry Books).
Tech Editor for days 76/77, 90/91, 186, 209/210, 251/252, 258/259, 265/266, 335/336: Karen Ruth

Printed in China

I value my garden more for being full of blackbirds than of cherries, and very frankly, give them fruit for their songs.

J OSEPH A DDISON , 16721719, English essayist, poet, and politician

Contents

MONDAY / BIRD-FINDING TIPS AND TECHNIQUES

TUESDAY / SPECIES IDENTIFICATION

WEDNESDAY / BIRDING EXCURSIONS AND TRAVEL

THURSDAY / BIRDS IN YOUR BACKYARD

FRIDAY / BIRDS IN HISTORY AND MYTH

SATURDAY + SUNDAY / BIRDING PROJECTS AND ACTIVITIES

Introduction

Many birdwatchers are introduced to the pursuit by relatives or friends. Seeing the fervent interest this special breed of people gives to the brilliant yet fleeting avian denizens we share the world with often encourages others to see what theyre seeing, and to experience what theyre experiencing while engaged with nature. Some people may lose interest eventually, while others may also be bitten by the birdwatching bug.

The two authors of this book discovered birdwatching through different paths. Marcuss mother maintained an array of feeders in her backyard, aligned for prime viewing through the kitchen window, and a pair of binoculars and a field guide to the birds rested nearby, at the ready, throughout her life. From that vantage, she shared with her young son her excitement over the sight of the varied and colorful species, such as the mobs of grosbeaks that came south from the boreal forests of northern Canada in difficult winters. She also attuned his ears to the equally colorful sounds coming from the yard, such as the wide-ranging repertoire of imitations demonstrated by a resident mockingbird. Through this and many other details, she instilled an enthusiasm for birds, bird feeding, and birdwatching in this budding naturalist.

Tom came to birding somewhat later, in his twenties, while living in the Boston area. The intense attention his close friends John and Caroline devoted to the birds of the region inspired him to raise the binoculars and see a whole new world. Up to this point, Toms attention had been largely focused on plants and mushrooms; this new pursuit opened his eyes not only to the colorful personalities of birds and the shared joy of correctly identifying species, but also to a whole new group of living organisms, which broadened his view of the workings of ecosystems.

The common thread of both Toms and Marcuss experiences is recognizing and responding to others enthusiasm for these endlessly entertaining, vital members of the worlds biota, from blue jays at backyard feeders to rarer peregrine falcons roosting on cliff faces and skyscrapers. Their mutual interest led the authors to join forces and share their own passion for birds in as wide a way as possiblethrough this book.

As they benefited from their predecessors, they hope this compilation of hints, tips, and tricks will deepen and expand your birdwatching, whether in your backyard or on long-distance outings to special birding hotspots. Theyve explored a wide range of information that should prove handy both as a reference for those experiences and as a day-to-day infusion of new knowledge.

So place this book next to your kitchen window or whatever viewing portal into the world of birds you favor, and enjoy a bit of insight every day.

How to Use This Book

This book is organized as a day minder, with entries creating a complete years worth of information. Each of the years fifty-two weeks has six entries.

You can start reading this book from the beginning, following the days of the week through the calendar year, reading one entry a day. You can also read from the middle of the book, the end, or skip around from week to week as inspiration strikes. The most important thing to remember is that you can use this book however you want. Dive in and enjoy birdwatching tips and information, from birds in mythology to birds in your backyard.

A Birdwatchers Year