by Marina Muhlfriedel

You can do it with friends, strangers or even on your own if you choose. You can start in your backyard, the closest city park, or brave the wide-open wilderness. Whichever your fancy, the amazing world of bird watching awaits. Even these wintry months can provide exceptional opportunities to enjoy the bracing, fresh air while scanning the sky and tree line for these incredibly varied, two legged creatures.

A recent U.S. Fish and Wildlife survey reports that over 75 million Americans are self-proclaimed birders -- people who consider the sport to be an ongoing part of their recreational life. Most of them started out being captivated by something along the lines of a shockingly red Cardinal or Vermilion Flycatcher in a tree near their home, by a majestic Peregrine Falcon perching on the roof of a high-rise across from their office, or a magnificent Osprey, returning to its huge nest on a buoy just off the New England coast. Maybe they caught sight of the reclusive, but brilliantly hued Quetzal on their vacation to the Costa Rican rainforest. From there, be it in New York City's Central Park, Northern Michigan, The Everglades or Washington's Orcas Island these bird watching neophytes took the leap to seek out organized groups or venture solo to explore the tranquil avian world.

According to Dan Cooper, The Audubon Society's Director of Bird Conservation for the State of California, "These days, a lot of people feel their lives are disconnected from nature and birding connects you. It's something you can do anywhere, anytime of year and the only equipment you need is a $70 pair of binoculars. It's about the most passive form of recreation you can ask for and the impact on the environment is very low. You can take to it what you want and most people find it really rewarding."

Bird watching is one of those activities that rapidly grows on you. Once able to recognize the more common families, one soon develops a keen eye and ear for the more rare species, quickly becoming attuned to the time of day they take to the open sky and where they tend to dwell.

Thanks to the Internet, the popularity of bird watching has surged in the last decade. With Audubon chapters in 500 U.S. locations, most with websites, even a fleeting impulse of curiosity can instantly connect you with birders in your neighborhood. Clicking through the main Audubon website, you can locate your state and region where, most likely, there's a bird walk nearby, this coming Saturday morning.

Another excellent resource for anyone who develops a penchant for our finely plumed friends is The American Birding Association, a group that was formed in early seventies "...to inspire all people to enjoy and protect wild birds." While the Audubon Society's primary emphasis is on conservation, the ABA focuses primarily on birders and birding. While there is an overlap in the two organizations, together they form a cohesive and easily navigable network.

Nearly every bookstore now has a section entirely dedicated to birds that features not only national compendiums (such as the phenomenally popular "Sibley Guide to Birds") but also local and regional field guides. Audubon's Dan Cooper recommends purchasing at least two different publications, "Because one field guide won't show everything quite the same as another. There's the Kaufman Guide, The Petersen Guide, The Sibley Guide and you can't say one is particularly better than the others."

Besides a field guide or two and a decent pair of binoculars, the only other equipment you might want is a note pad to help you keep track of the birds you spot.

If, by next month, your birding instincts have kicked in and you've become adept at distinguishing Seagull from a Snowy Plover, and a Blue Jay from a Bluebird, you may want to participate in the Eighth Annual Great Backyard Bird Count. From February 18-21 tens of thousands of people from across America will help conduct a bird census and record their observations of species and populations on the web (www.birdsource.org/gbbc). You will immediately see your findings reflected in the national tallies and a red dot appear on the map (alongside thousands of others) where you spotted them.

So zip up your down vest, pull on your boots and spend a serene winter day elevating your awareness to that of the gliding, orchestral world of birds. You won't be sorry.

Sites to check out:
www.audubon.org
www.americanbirding.org

© Melt Magazine 2005