Date: 4/15/25 7:33 pm From: Matt S. <accipiter22...> Subject: Re: [MASSBIRD] from Strickland Wheelock
I loved Strickland's post, it got me thinking...
1. We have the same spark bird. My most vivid early memory of birds was
the Evening Grosbeaks that would visit a feeder we had attached to a window
of our apartment, around the time I was 4 (mid-1980s). I'd get up early in
the morning and the sun shining would cast the shadows of the Grosbeaks against
the shade that was still closed. I would always peer around it, and they
were so tame. Even with the shade up you could sit on the couch right in
front of the window just inches away from these big boisterous yellow
birds. I didn't know they were an irruptive species at the time, they were
so frequent in the first few winters of my life. I used to sit there
watching them feed on the plank of wood we had attached to the outside
windowsill. I still remember the feeling of the window's old pane of glass
pressed up against my nose as I tried to get as close as I could to the
birds. I only saw them again in the mid-1990s one time at our house after
we moved, a horde of them visited one day. I've never seen them since. I
miss them quite a bit, I wish I could see them again.
2. I'm obsessed with the passage of time and watching the woods or just
nature change around us season to season year to year. I remember Mass
Audubon used to have these nature calendars on the back cover of their
magazine they sent out. I remember pouring over that as a child whenever
they would come in the mail. I would wonder what of those animals or plants
I would be able to observe; I can still remember sitting on the back porch
of our apartment in Westfield and thinking about it excitedly. Birding is
a great marker of that time; who is coming, who is calling, who is going,
first visits of year, then looking back and figuring out which sighting was
last of the year or spring or whatever. Hearing a Wood Pewee call and
realizing that spring migration is winding down or pretty much over, but
somehow hearing that bird call makes it feel ok, because everything is
complete and the birds are off starting their families, the Pewee the
sentinel of that season. Hearing a mourning dove call in the dog days of
summer and feeling just as languorous. Late summer, and after the jays
have gone cryptically quiet for breeding, you hear the first band of them
start raising a ruckus and realize that summer is almost at an end.
Really, birding is like taking care of a garden; in every season and every
month and even every week something is going on. I'm grateful to birds for
being my little chronospheres.
3. I think Strickland is spot-on, birding keeps you spry. You get out, you
get exercise, you become familiar with some spots, and after a couple years
you start to notice the patterns in them...what trees blossom first, or
show buds before others, what animals behave or plants grow differently in
your little corner of the world than they do in others, etc. all while
experiencing the natural world around you. I could think of worse ways to
spend a life.
4. I actually remember when I started becoming more "adult", as an
11-year-old, and again it was birds that showed me I was growing. I had
already been recording bird sightings for several years, but suddenly I
realized my ID skills were improving massively, I started picking out
details more, and reading everything I could about their behavior (the
Stokes' Guide to Bird Behavior is still my favorite series of books of any
kind, it immeasurably increased the depth of my observations). Around this
time, one of my strongest childhood memories is going to Mass Audubon's
Arcadia (or maybe Laughing Brook) and getting a copy of Birds of
Massachusetts that was autographed by Wayne Peterson and Barry Van Dusen.
I just found the book, it was October 24, 1993. Lots of water over the dam
since then...I remember the ride in the car up to the sanctuary as well,
and after, holding that book in my hands, with this collective knowledge of
the birds around me, I still can't describe what I felt. Here are the
autographs:
5. Leading walks and meeting people on them has been such a fun time; up
until maybe 10 years ago I largely birded by myself. I would bump into
people and knew a few of them, but nothing like now. I enjoyed bumping
into people out in the field and putting them on some bird, and groups take
that to the next level. As Tom Wetmore says: Birds are best when shared.
Seeing my daughter take to gardening (she can rake like nobody's business
now, and really do everything I can do, just in tinier form) and the woods
and all animals with unconditional fascination has been another great
reward. Yesterday, as we dug holes to plant raspberries, and I uncovered
some grubs. She was not grossed out, she wanted to know what they were:
"What's that grub-grub doin??" She loves all nature. My parents shared it
with me, now i get to share nature and birds especially with her. I love
seeing her light up, and if she asks to go outside to see something I never
say no, ever.
6. I was the youngest person on most of my birding activities / trips for a
good chunk of my life. Now I'm middle of the pack. I miss folks. I miss
emailing with David Brown, I miss bumping into Doug Chickering. After we
moved out of our apartment when I was a kid, we moved to Southwick out in
the country, there was this guy, Seth Kellogg in the town, right near us.
He was a big birder, I never went to his house though, I regret that.
Also, one day driving through Connecticut, where my mom is from, she asked
if I wanted to visit Roger Tory Peterson's house to see if he was there and
would say hi. I was WAY too intimidated and said no. I definitely regret
that too.
We put out feeders, or make habitats for them in our yard, or fight for
them and their preservation, but I don't feel like I am ever going to be
able to repay them for all the joy they bring to me and my family and
friends.
Matt Sabourin
<Accipiter22...>
Newton, NH
On Tue, Apr 15, 2025 at 8:23 PM Barbara Volkle <barb620...> wrote:
> Thanks to Strickland Wheelock for this post.
>
> Barbara Volkle
> Northborough, MA
> <barb620...>
>
> *
>
>
> Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2025 21:18:32 +0000 (UTC)
> From: Strickland Wheelock <skwheelock...>
> Subject: MIME-Version: 1.0
>
>
> Early this morning as I laid in bed, I began reflecting on all the
> positives in my life that birding has brought me and others -
> fortunately I really couldn't find any negatives outside of maybe
> explaining to your partner that I am heading out to bird & will be back
> later to do the yard work or whatever.Here are the reflections in no
> particular order:
>
> 1 - Lifetime Passion -For me at 7 years old [73 yrs back] watching
> Evening Grosbeaks swarming at the feeders, I was hooked and hooked to
> this day. I find such enjoyment still with our expected birds at the
> feeders or in the field in NE - naturally I love traveling to various
> habitats around the country and CR to see/enjoy all their species, learn
> all their songs & habitat locations - climbing mountains to see the
> Himalayan Snowcocks, taking pelagic trips to see all the specialized
> species living out there, hiking the tundra in Alaska, traveling to
> countries like CR to find another hundred+ species totally new to me -
> there is no end to this passion, the excitement & discovery for me that
> I can find each day.For many this passion comes at different ages -
> example folks retiring and looking for something to do & discovering
> birding as an exciting hobby. One of my joys is meeting so many folks on
> our birding trips from Drumlin Farm - college, working folks, retirees -
> all ages from total beginners to experienced birders seeking to
> learn/enjoy all that birding can offer. The fun part for me & my
> coleaders is showing them many species on each trip but teaching them
> all the ID skills on why that species is that species.
> 2 - Friendships - I feel blessed that over the years having met hundreds
> of wonderful folks on these birding trips - that is the beauty of
> birding, everyone is excited to be out in the field even on crappy
> weather days - ideally nice weather birding days are better. So many
> friendships have developed from these birding trips where folks develop
> connections with other birders that last for a lifetime like my birding
> roommate from college.
> 3 - Health - Birding gets us outside year around - lots of walking esp.
> when banding, early morning fresh air, working the brain as learn all
> the birdsongs & call notes [no Merlin], how to separate confusing
> species in the field [especially those fall HY migrants].
> 4 - Research - one highlight for me is being a Master Bander & the
> research that goes with it. Each spring and fall, my special team of
> volunteers band at West Hill Dam and later in the fall we band at a
> special private property managed for birds, butterflies, etc. The
> knowledge in extracting these many species from the mist nets from
> hummingbirds to occasionally raptors take lots of practice as the
> volunteers have learned, then IDing the species in the hand can be a
> challenge like flycatchers, fall HY warblers, follow that with knowing
> how to age knowing molt limits & other keys, then band & release. Each
> year, we recapture x number of returns from previous years [6+ yrs]
> which is exciting. Between the 2 locations, we capture around 700 to 800
> birds - wide range of species plus always surprises like the Dickcissel
> this past spring and the Chat the previous fall. Each net run is so
> exciting not knowing if you have orioles, warblers, vireos, woodpeckers,
> sparrows, flycatchers, chickadees or titmouse awaiting you. Always a
> highlight is when school groups [3rd & 4th graders] join us when
> banding, watching their excitement, hearing all their questions -
> opening up a new world for them.
> Summary - Look forward to each season with all the special species they
> bring - love the competition aspect like Birdathon & Superbowl of
> Birding - appreciate how birders at a site will gladly point out a
> rarity to a new group - love all the friendships created by birding -
> for all those blessed with the passion for birding, how fortunate we are!!
>
> Strickland Wheelock
> Uxbridge MA
>
