Winter Birding and New Friends

After almost five years in Windsor, I have finally taken it upon myself to hook up with the local birding groups. I was a member of ASCA when I lived in Little Rock and have such fond memories of our trips. With them I saw my first (and only) Painted Bunting and braved a blinding blizzard in Pine Bluff for a glimpse of rare gulls passing through.

When I lived in Waterloo, I joined the KW Field Naturalists and learned all about the local birds, butterflies, dragonflies, native trees, wildflowers and mushrooms during wilderness walks. They’re the ones who roped me in to be a captain of a square for the five-year OBBA project–one of the best experiences of my life.

It was about two months ago that I finally figured out how to join up with a local birding group in this area. Between the Essex County Field Naturalists‘ outings and the Ojibway Nature Centre‘s birding field courses, I’ve managed to get out into the field with a group and experienced trip leader four or five times this winter.

Of course I’ve also been taking the scope down to the marina a couple of times a week since the waterfowl congregations started to get interesting at the beginning of winter. During one such visit, I struck up a conversation with a young woman who was scanning the waters with binoculars. The chemistry between us was good; conversation flowed easily. We had a mutual acquaintance or two in the birding community. When she mentioned that she doesn’t get out birding as often as she might like due to not being a car owner/driver, I offered my contact info and suggested we go out together sometime.

Since that day, C and I have gone on three field trips together.  Although I also like birding by myself, as C puts it, sometimes when you are in the field and spot something truly awesome, you just want to turn around and high-five someone.

Four weeks ago C had her first Long-eared Owl. During the next trip, she got Short-eared Owl while I saw Snow Buntings up close for the first time. Yesterday we both got life birds: Northern Shrike and Surf Scoter for her life list, Sandhill Crane for mine. It was nice having someone there when I whirled around for a high-five.

Although it takes a certain degree of insani…I mean obsession to be willing to bird in the middle of winter, I’m finding that I love every small ritual involved. I love checking the weather three times the night before, then laying out thermal underwear, Thinsulate socks, balaclava, magic hand-warmers and travel mug. I love rising while it’s still dark out to pack my bag with high-calorie snacks, field guide, notebook, harness and bins. I love eating a big bowl of hot porridge while watching the first pink light start to paint the eastern horizon.

An aspect of joining up with a group that I hadn’t anticipated has been the discovery of a series of birding spots I never would have found on my own, like the finger of land jutting out into the Detroit River on which Mona’s Place is located. (Sylvain and I will check it out for brunch soon.) I now know how to find Wheatley Harbour, the northeast corner of Hillman Marsh, and several owl hangouts.

Finally, I love is when it’s time to stop for a hot lunch in a local diner. That’s when the group gets out pencils and checklists to go over all the species seen during the entire outing. Sometimes the food is good, sometimes it’s not. But the company always is.