Better Birder Tips
Nancy Wenninger, Land Acquisition Manager of the East Bay Regional Park District, spoke at our February 2002 monthly Friends of Baxter Creek meeting and offers the following "Better Birder Tips" for aspiring bird-watchers in the Baxter Creek watershed (excerpted from Sept./Oct. 2001 Wild Bird magazine):

• Take your time. Spend as much time looking at birds as you can. The more you practice, the better you become. Notice plumage changes throughout the year.

• Be patient. It takes time, sometimes years, as well as some homework to become a proficient birder. Birding is like learning a language. You have to master the basics before you become fluent.

• Study. A good field guide helps you learn the basic bird groups and tells where you might find them at what times of the year. Learning about the status and distribution of birds in your area or the location you plan to visit is as important as learning their field marks.

• Read your field guides. The introductory pages of your field guide include tips that can make your time more productive.

• Bird with experience. Spend time out in the field or discussing birds with someone who is more knowledgeable than you are. A good teacher will open your eyes and ears to facets of birding of which you were unaware.

• Use your ears. If you hear a bird that you don't recognize by sound, track it down until you see it make the sound. Watching a bird sing or call is the best way to learn vocalizations.

• Ask questions. Sometimes egos get in the way, but asking intelligent questions while on a field trip or talking with other birders will earn more brownie points than keeping your mouth shut.

• Shape matters. Concentrate on learning how birds are shaped differently from one another. Most birders focus on color and pattern first, but shape is often more consistent than plumage.

• Look beyond the I.D. Don't stop after identifying a bird's species. Keep looking at it. You can learn a lot by studying a bird's plumage and behavior. Be conservative in your approach and question the criteria you may be using to identify a bird.

• Spend wisely. Buy the best equipment you can afford. A good pair of binoculars makes a world of difference. To find out what optics are best for you, try as many different types as you can. Ask other birders you meet if you may look through their optics and why they chose the ones they bought.

• Follow birds with your eyes. When observing birds in flight, watch them until they are well past you. How a bird flies provides information about its species.

• Personal references. Develop a good personal library.

• Write it down. Use a pencil or pen. The best way to increase your observation skills is to sketch birds or take field notes. Whether you can draw or not, sketching a bird is a valuable exercise.

• Practice on common birds. Watch a bird carefully, noting its overall size and color, bill shape, plumage patterns, and distinguishing field marks. By practicing your observation skills on more common birds, you learn to describe birds well enough to convince whoever wants documentation for more unusual sightings.

• Don't skip the tough stuff. Is one group of birds stumping you? Consider attending a workshop focusing on raptors, shorebirds, warblers, sparrows, gulls, or flycatchers. Tackle these when you are ready for more challenges.

Baxter Wildlife
Friends of Baxter Creek co-founder Lisa Viani compiled the following list of wildlife seen in or along the creek. How many of these have you spotted?

Girl Scout Troop Sketches
Jan Dunlop’s Richmond Girl Scout Troop #1685 drew the following sketches of wildlife in the Baxter Creek watershed. Many thanks to these talented girls!