After John Petruzzi’s remarkable Gyrfalcon find in Mahoning County today, it seems like a good time to repeat thoughts on bird finding. With spring migrants about to begin arriving anytime soon, I would like to once again share my thoughts, about why some birders always
seem to be the chosen ones finding the new and out of the ordinary birds, as in today’s case, John once again! Are they lucky to be the birder to find the rarities, sometimes; but most of the time they know where and when to look. They also explore new potential birding sites. And also, the most
important factor, is that they are out there putting the time in, day in and day out, not just when there is a rarity reported. There is a definite reason that some people are the ones that seem to always be finding and reporting the good birds. The following
is a modified version of a previous posting I did.
The listers and chasers of the state are always primed and ready to enjoy and record a new life bird, a new state bird, or in the case of today, a new county bird. As someone who has also listed and has chased his fair share of birds wherever they may be, I am always grateful for the reports and calls when a new bird
is discovered. And oddly enough, those reports inevitably come from the same people, time and time again. Scour e-bird, the listserves, and Facebook groups, and you will find that a handful of people find these birds and report them with vigor. Then the comments
begin, is that person lucky, or so and so found another one. Uncanny! Right! In truth, not at all. The reason these people find and report so many good birds is pretty darn simple: they actually go birding!! These are not folks who sit around with phone in hand
waiting for a buzz or a beep to alert them of a new target, or stare at a computer screen to tell them where a new bird is. These are the folks who hit their local patches day in and day out. Before work. After work. On weekends. Rain or shine. They find birds.
These are the folks who understand patterns, weather, timing, habitats, and who possess an intense understanding of when and where to actually look for birds. With field experience comes the knowledge that a field guide (you know that dusty book nobody seems
to use anymore), cannot teach. These are people who think about under birded areas and actively set out to see what they can find. They all deserve a hearty round of applause for their contributions to not only science and the understanding of our feathered
friends, but for your own state/county lists as well. You folks know who you are, and I, for one, am incredibly grateful. So with spring migration looming on the horizon, I challenge all the listers and chasers of the state to do the unheard of: Go out and
bird people! Just go out and bird! Get out in the field and actually observe birds. Take note of flight styles, plumage, feeding behaviors, songs and calls, and the habitats of the most common birds, so that when something seems visually different, like the Gyrfalcon today, or you hear
a new sound, you will actually notice it and hopefully identify it. Let's all try to take some of the weight off of these diligent rarity finders, and maybe bolster your own rep in the process. Here's to another great rewarding season of birding.
A final thought. With the unfortunate circumstances that we are all suffering thru right now, getting out in the fresh air and birding is a perfect way to take your mind off of all the stress we now have in our lives.
Bob Lane / Pinellas County, Florida & Mahoning County, Ohio