Bird Watching: Things to do on and around Earth Day

On March 11th, Spring Bird Migration started and Chicago is in the path of a major migratory route. This presents Chicagoans with a great opportunity to see many different birds right here in the city, along the lakefront and the Chicago River.

You can include birding as a part of your Earth Day Celerbration any time over the next several weeks. Birdwatching can be enjoyed by anyone, including children, and is a great way to get kids outside and involved in nature.

Here are some suggestions to help you get started:

1. Bird Field Guide. You will need a field guide reference to help you identify the birds in your area. To start out you can borrow a book, get a used book or purchase one for around $12.00 to $20.00. There are several guides including North American, Eastern versus Western U.S., as well as beginners guides. I prefer the National Geographic North American Field Guide and my kids use the Peterson First Guide to Birds of N.A. Check out the beginning of these books for valuable tips on identifiying birds.

2. Binoculars. These come in all shapes and sizes and costs. See if you can borrow a pair to test out before buying your own. For city birding you won't need as powerful a pair as you would for other excursions. For me using binoculars is the trickiest part of birding. If takes some practice not only to train your eyes to look through them, but also to adjust them properly and fast enough.

3. Local Checklist. This can be the most helpful tool. A local checklist will tell you what birds you can find at what time of year in a local region. I always contact The Audubon Society when traveling for a local checklist. It helps narrow things down. Visit www.audubon.org/chapter for a listing of local Audubon chapters.

4. Notebook. This is to help you keep track of what birds you saw, where, and when. You can also include the weather conditions. I started off with a regular little notebook, but recently bought a beautiful birder's journal at Norton's USA. This information helps you become a better birder and learn about the birds in your area. It is also useful for bird counts. Organizations like the Audubon Society conduct regular bird counts to help them determine a number of things about bird populations.

Birding Etiquette. There are some simple rules for birding. Tread lightly and quitely. Have respect for Nature and fellow birders. Leave no trace.

Places to go around Chicago:

Almost anywhere along the Chicago River is great for birdwatching during Spring and Fall migration. Many migrating birds stay right within the river corridor.

The lakefront is another great spot. Try the Bird Sanctuary at Montrose Beach or by the Totem Pole at Addison. Another great location is Jackson Park or the Paul Douglas Nature Sanctuary.

For more information on bird watching and great birding spots visit www.audubon.org
Have Fun! And let me know what you find!