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A Bird's-Eye View

Where to go birding

by Nathan Senner
[from A Bird's-Eye View, August 1998, Beginning Birding Special Issue]

Once you have decided that you are interested in watching birds and learning about them, the next questions is, "Where to go birding?" Here are a few factors that you might want to consider when choosing a spot to frequent:

What kind of birds do you want to see? The thing to remember is that each bird prefers a specific habitat, and you have to visit that habitat in order to see it. You cannot expect to see a Blackburnian Warbler out on the mudflats, or a White-rumped Sandpiper in the middle of a pine forest. So, for example, if you would like to see a lot of raptors, this would lead you to a ridge or coastline during migration, or to grasslands during the breeding season. If you want to see a great variety of birds, you should find a park or refuge that has a diversity in its habitats, such as a combination of forest and grassland or wetlands.

How far do you want to have to travel? There might be a famous "hot spot" 50 miles away, but you don't want to go that far every time you want to go birding. You might want to make a trip or two there each year, but a more obvious choice for everyday birding would be a local park or open space. Often these little-known spots offer surprisingly good birding, and they don't attract crowds of people.

How many people do you want to deal with while birding? If you like to be with a lot of other birders, then maybe you should consider going to one of those famous "hot spots," or on field trips with your local Audubon Society or bird club. Others may like to bird by themselves or with a few friends. In this case, you would probably do better to think about lesser-known sites that have nature trails. These places are often empty of people but full of birds.

These are all things to consider when you want to go out birding, but the main thing I want to stress is to not worry about it. Just go to different places and try them out. Eventually you will find a place that fits your wants and needs. You can always change your favorite spot, or maybe you'll have several - just so they all have birds. So good luck and good birding!

About the author: Nathan Senner is a sixteen-year-old junior in high school from Anchorage, Alaska. He has been a birder for much of his life, and plans to pursue it as a career. He also likes baseball, basketball, and skiing.