Birding is good for you

I am a birder. I admit it!

Unlike the admission of 'I am an Alcoholic' at an AA meeting, there is no 12 step program to cure me of birding.

I'm not sure that I want to be cured.

People make fun of me. 'Going to look for the little birdies again', my brother would say .... the implication is that my time could be better spent chasing a little white ball around an expanse of grass.

 I'm a special kind of birder a 'Photobirder'. I bring my trophies back in digital form and share them with the world.

So I check my camera, pack my bag and head out to one of my favourite haunts. In an hour or so (depending on how far I go), I will be transported into a world where every problem has vanished.

Sometimes I am alone, sometimes with my wife (who is a birder with extraordinary vision), and sometimes with one of my friends. My trusty Nikon 300mm f4 over my shoulder and Nikon Monarch binos around my neck. Scanning the trees and the ground for the slightest movement I raise my camera as a Warbler flits through the branches above. It stays behind some branches so I can't focus ... my arms are starting to hurt as I follow every movement waiting for the moment when he breaks into the open then click .. click .. click - thank God for digital photography or I would go bankrupt buying and developing film.

The moment of focus is akin to Zen meditation. Nothing matters and no thoughts intrude. Breathing is controlled and the all energy flows through the lens to the object in the tree.

Walk again - scan the trees, scan the ground, scan the water. I'm listening too.

A Robin to the left, a Song Sparrow above, the harsh call of a flock of Grackles overhead all have to be filtered and suddenly there is the faintest squeak squeak of a Black and White Warbler somewhere above. Such a tiny sound among the raucous Blue Jays mean that your auditory senses have to be on full alert. It helps that I still have almost all of my youthful high frequencies in spite of hours spent playing Bass Guitar in a band in front of 100dB loudspeakers.

Total concentration, total focus all senses on high alert.

Last night I didn't sleep well. I had a lot on my mind and rather than give you a detail that would sound like a Country Music ballad, suffice to say that I was under a lot of stress.

I had a date with by friend Gilles to go to Prince Edward Point leaving at 7am.  My alarm didn't go off as I had set it for 6pm but thankfully I got up and managed to finish the mandatory 2 cups of coffee before setting out. It was cool and very sunny and once inside the Point Traverse Woods the Zen kicked in.

In birding terms - not an auspicious day but it didn't matter. An Eastern Towhee called loudly from the top of a tree.

Eastern Towhee

I watch my shadow ... the light is all wrong. I have to move to the other side of the tree without flushing the Towhee. Slowly and keeping my camera up and pointed I maneuver to a better position. The Towhee keeps a wary eye on me but keeps on singing. Finally some decent shots - not the best but it doesn't matter - there will be many more opportunities. As I walk away I meet an elderly (80+) couple. She heard the Towhee but his hearing is impaired and could not. I help them to relocate it and they are happy. I hope that I will still be in Traverse Woods at 80.

So on the morning went.

A Palm Warbler.

Palm Warbler

My first Yellow Warbler of the year.

Yellow Warbler

I spent half an hour chasing this guy by sound until he eventually revealed himself briefly. Soon Yellow Warblers will be seemingly hanging from every branch and their 'sweet sweet I'm so sweet' will be pushed into the background as I search for rarer species.

A Brown Thrasher forging in the leaf litter.

Brown Thrasher

A White-winged Scoter on the Traverse Bluffs.

White-winged Scoter

A group of Cliff Swallows gathering mud for their nest.

Cliff Swallows

Just a typical birding day. In a week, these woods will be deafening with the sound of migrants and I will photograph a bird in almost any direction that I point my Camera - but regardless of how many birds I get, I always leave feeling calm and refreshed. As my friend Jeff said   - ' A bad day of birding is better than a good day of watching TV'.

So to those who would rather chase a golf ball, walk a dog, watch a Hockey game or party with Rob Ford .... I say don't knock it unless you have tried it.

Birding worked for me. I won't say that it changed my life, but it made me calmer and more contented. The Photography is crucial for me - I need to bring the trophy back.

If you don't believe me - check out my Trophies here.