December 2015 - Optics Den

The Modern Birder’s Best Field Guides

credit – johnrakestraw.net

Put down your trowel.

Bird watching has beat out gardening as the fastest growing hobby in the US and Canada. A recent study in Canada revealed that 1 in 5 people has become …. a birder! It’s hard to think of one activity that finds a child on grandma’s lap watching a chickadee at a feeder, and a booted hiker traversing a canyon to spot nesting golden eagles.

Everyone can be a bird enthusiast.

For the backyard ornithologist and the adventurous eco-traveler, there are two things a birder needs in their kit. The first is a good set of binoculars… and the second is a good quality field guide. The most famous of these species portrait collections appeared in the 1830s. And the artist was? John James Audubon.

Audubon’s pivotal artistic avian masterpiece was set in motion during his childhood in France – when, like the rest of us, he became enchanted by the allure of birds. Audubon’s Birds of America is the product of a tenacious and dedicated ornithological genius. But are paintings more complicated to “read” than photographs?

Why photos may be the best choice

If you have ever purchased a painted field guide, you already know how difficult it can be to read those pictures. Printing processes alter the colors of the original paintings – making the accuracy issue even worse. When you have similarly marked species (is it a female house sparrow or a white–throated sparrow… a Wilson’s Warbler or a Yellowthroat?), the clarity of photography ensures quick and easy identification. Pack the photo guide and leave the paintings for your home décor! There are some hybrid photo/artwork selections that blend the best aspects of both illustration methods and these are listed in the last section.

What are field guides?

Field guides are the go-to source for bird watchers. They provide information on species, juvenile and sex associated plumage, body posture and movement habits, habitat, behavior, song, flight patterns and feeding styles. That is quite a bit, but all this information is necessary to help an observer deduce, usually through the process of elimination, what feathered beauty is in front of them.

Online versions for homework

optics den birding field guide binoculars

credit – audubon.org

Online bird identification guides are perfect for getting a thorough understanding of the species in your area. These websites have photos and video, song recordings and behavior pointers to help you develop a knowledge base. They also have great links for you to get more birding information. The song sections are worth studying as bird watching is mostly about bird listening!

Here are a few resources from top ornithological sites:

Audubon

https://www.audubon.org/field-guide

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/search/

The American Birding Association

http://www.aba.org/

How to use your guide

Break down the identification steps by moving from generic to specific. Take note of the size and silhouette (outline) of the bird. The video below explains this process extremely well.

A wren has the size and plumage color of a sparrow but has a very different “perky” silhouette. Field guides that categorize their book’s sections by family are the best choice for beginner birders and for quick researching in the field. You won’t find a Painted Bunting in Vermont or a Least Sandpiper in Kentucky.

If you plan to bird watch in a specific location, purchase a local guide. Peterson prints editions geared to regions. Check out their birds of western and eastern North American selections. Visit or contact your local bird societies or wild bird supply stores. These resources will have a wide selection of guides to search through. Find books that cater to individual families, species or habitats:

http://www.birderslibrary.com/features/shorebird-guide-comparison.htm

https://www.audubon.org/news/review-crossley-id-guide-raptors

http://blog.aba.org/2014/07/understanding-rarity-rare-birds-howell.html

Where to buy

Home and garden centers have bird supply sections. Often these stores carry a selection of bird watching books. Contact bird watching clubs or larger organizations (Audubon has local chapters and shops), including your neighboring university, to decide which guide works best for your birding needs. You can also purchase guides online. The newer editions are often of higher picture quality and have been updated with new research as well. There is a bird book for every budget.

Mobile birding

Check out the new apps available for your cell – talk about mobile bird watching! Lighter than any text and available at the tip of your fingers – you have photos, depictions…and real vocalizations to compare. You can even play these calls while in the field to attract those species. This gives “tweeting” a fresh interpretation – you can have fun with a whole new kind of cross-species social media as you chat with these peeps!

Try these apps:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chirp!-bird-song-usa-+/id364891918?mt=8

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/birdseye-bird-finding-guide/id324168850?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D6

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/audubon-birds-pro/id333227386?mt=8

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/national-geographic-birds/id315268465?mt=8

Recommended Field Guides for Bird Watchers

credit – birdwatchingdaily.com

The Sibley Guide to Birds (2^nd edition): Yes, this one has paintings, but this guide contains many useful sections including, habitat maps including rare sighting areas and normal ranges, phonetic descriptions of calls, migration patterns, migratory species, taxonomic order and common name search terms. David Sibley’s masterful illustrations have been digitally reproduced eliminating much of the earlier accuracy issues. This New York Times bestseller has been purchased by millions of birders – they can’t be wrong! Some readers have commented on the small print, but this book contains a vast amount of pertinent tips for the majority of serious bird watchers – and the price is in the budget range. Combine a rich publication such as Sibley’s with a photo illustrated guide.

The Stokes Field Guide to the Birds of North America: Stokes is an old standby. This field resource is illustrated with photographs – making quick and accurate live observation simple and easy. Birds don’t hang around or come into clear view for identification, so we are often left with fleeting glimpses. Figuring out what popped into view is simpler with clean photographs and explanations of song, flight and behavior antics. New editions come with a CD recording of bird songs, 853 species represented and over 3,000 photographs. Copies can be grabbed for under $25 – this guide is a bargain.

Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North America: If you want a handy book to cart into nature with you – this is the one. Designed and organized for use in the field – the birds are arranged by family rather than taxonomy – a big help when you need to identify a bird by size, shape and silhouette. Range and migration maps face the page with the bird’s depiction- making range elimination or inclusion easy. The addition of a tab feature allows instant navigation through the various possibilities, from wading birds to warblers. Renowned naturalist and conservationist, Ken Kaufman, has combined the clarity of photography with the markings enhancement of illustration in his groundbreaking guide. Purchase the new editions with current findings by the American Ornithology Union, updated species lists and range maps.

Try these as well – National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America for handy use while in the field, and the Tory Peterson guides, oldies (the first edition was printed in 1934) and still goodies.

Well, those birds aren’t waiting! Drop us some more tips and suggestions for getting the most out of this fantastic past time.

Binoculars

What Hobby Began 40,000 Years ago? Birdwatching!

Humans have been bird watching for a long time. 40,000 year-old bird paintings beat out John James Audubon’s paint to canvas depictions by a slight stretch. Our fascination with the avian species was key to helping date some of the oldest known artwork set onto the cave walls in Arnhem Land, Australia. The red ochre illustrations of the emu-like birds unfurl a thread that ties our two species together.

It isn’t just our fascination with a concept such as flight – the birds in those ancient paintings were flightless. It is the entire concept of “birdness,” which holds our desire to connect with these intelligent and resourceful creatures – they seem to hold the keys to a wisdom we can’t begin to search for.

Every culture watches birds. They are resurrection icons, deities, representatives of courage, strength and messengers to and from the spirit world. These symbolic interpretations aren’t hard to miss. Watch a red-tailed hawk catching a current’s uplift – and the answer is there.

Writers in antiquity compounded the first true ornithological studies. Birds appeared in the Indian Vedas, in Persian, Chinese and Japanese writings. The classical world delved into the feathered forum. Aristotle spoke of bird migrations and behavior in his Historia Animalium, and several passages concerning avian habits and appearance would be familiar to birdwatchers today! Aristotle should have availed himself of the e-book format —“the bird called chloris from being yellow beneath, is of the size of the lark, and lays four or five eggs; it makes its nest of symphytum…and lines it with straw, hair, and wool. The blackbird and jay do the same…the nest of the acanthyllis is also artfully constructed, for it is folded together like a ball of flax, and has a small entrance.”

You may need to bring your dictionary.

Christianity emerged in Europe and brought with it a compounded ideology of Levant teachings and resident pre-Christian beliefs. Birds feature prominently in Christian iconography, texts and practices. The Book of Genesis (Judaism) presents the story of the post-flood Noah releasing a raven and a dove from the ark in order to see if land had reappeared (the dove returns with the famous olive branch).

St. Francis of Assisi is regularly portrayed with a small bird. Assisi was especially connected to birds and he referred to all animals as his brothers and sisters. In 1220 he penned his “Sermon to the Birds.”

The modern age witnesses a dichotomy for feathered fauna. Intrigued by technology and driven to turn the wheels of science, 18^th century society began to relegate birds into “specimens” and curiosities. Driven by analysis and categorization, birdwatching was done at the end of a gun, rather than through the lens of field glasses (which were invented in the 17^th century). Stuffed specimens were packed aboard ships destined to eventually collect dust. Interestingly, the 18^th century hatches the first truly modern concepts of animal welfare, vegetarianism (practiced by Ben Franklin) and natural history movements. These benevolence and “awareness” groups intertwined with other pressing causes such as abolitionism, human rights and poverty alleviation. The modern interest in birdwatching as one geared to limit human environmental impact, to preserve avian species and to prevent habitat loss began in the mid-1700s. Expansion into “unspoilt” ecosystems, and a rising understanding and quest to capture wisdom in nature through reason led by empathy, set the building blocks for our passions for birds and the natural world.

The founder of the Methodist church, John Wesley, claims that faith will “lead us beyond an exclusive concern for the well-being of other human beings to the broader concern for the well-being of the birds in our backyards, the fish in our rivers, and every living creature on the face of the earth.” This voicing for nature as a thing to be cared for and honored is echoed in the words of the father of the naturalist school, John Ray. It is echoed in the writings of Voltaire, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine. Early ornithologists include Gilbert White and Thomas Bewick.

The 1820s saw the introduction of avian art painted by the popular naturalist John James Audubon. Audubon wanted to depict the essence of the birds as they were in life AND set into their habitat instead of the tradition of fixing subjects in static poses. It was the Victorian era’s widespread access to print media, the invention of photography and the trickling down of “hobbies” to the emerging middle classes that heralded what we would recognize as bird watching.

In 1905 the Audubon Society (named in honor of J. J. Audubon) was formed as a true conservation organization. Founded by George Grinnell, the society quickly collected high-profile subscribers to spread the plight of birds whose populations were being decimated by humans – some species were hunted to extinction. However; the first birdwatcher’s (the term birdwatching wasn’t coined until 1901) field guide for species identification was printed in 1889 by Florence Bailey.

The rise in birding and naturalist clubs proliferated after the 1930s. Scientific ornithological studies and the conservation based birding clubs saw a slow merging during the 20^th century. Roger Peterson’s 1934 field guide made birding available to the general public. The popularity of binoculars enhanced the hobby after the 1940s, and now our century is enjoying this billion-dollar pastime!

Birdwatching is one of the few hobbies that blends biology, conservation, animal welfare and plain ol’ fun into one package. As a birder, you can choose how much and in what direction you want to take your hobby. You can hop a plane and join fellow ecotourists in the Amazon or hang a bird feeder in the maple tree outside your window. You can start as a toddler and continue birding, as John James Audubon did, well into your wiser years.

What are you waiting for? 40,000 years of interest can’t be wrong. It’s time for you to join the birdwatching club. It’s fun, ever-changing, holds endless possibilities and benefits everyone including the economy, wildlife and nature. After all, this hobby is for the birds!

Birding

Backyard Birding Big Impact —Why Our Hobby is so important!

credit – seed-solutions.com

Want to set up a hobby that promises excitement AND benefits every time you have fun? Well, you have come to the right place! Birdwatching promises to bring you the “goods” every time you gather your gear – which can amount to just you scanning and observing. It’s that easy to be an ecologist and to do your part to conserve bird species and important wildlife habitat. Birders know that the element of surprise is always just around the corner… or in the nearest holly bush or apple tree. There is a rustle in the branches and an indigo bunting lights up your day. Ever see an albino robin or watch a pair of cardinal fledglings trying their wings? You will, once you take the time to really observe your surroundings with the intent of seeing a bird.

Keep a diary of the following:

Species of bird seen. Record these on a still camera, video or by simply jotting down what bird you have observed.
Time of day and season (early spring, late spring, summer, early fall, fall and winter) Include any unusual sightings as well. Local bird clubs will want to hear from you!
Population count for each bird species.

What to do

Birding is one of those hobbies that requires nothing but a desire and the ability to sit and wait. The first step is to identify bird habitat – where you are most likely to see the birds in action. Birding is local, regional, “timely” and seasonal. That means you will see certain species doing certain things (foraging, territory collecting and nesting) during predictable times of the day and year.

Depending on where you live – urban, rural or suburban, coast, desert or mountain – the locale and its available resources and fixtures will dictate what species will be visiting.

Even urban areas provide resources for songbirds, waterfowl and birds-of-prey. A city-dweller can affix a seed tray or nectar feeder to a window and watch for titmice and hummingbirds. Urban park systems are stopover ports for migrating birds and a variety of waterfowl descend to their ponds. Keep an eye to tall buildings to see soaring red-tailed hawks and dynamic peregrine falcons.

credit – backyardchirper.com

Suburbanites have intriguing options. Set out bird feeding stations including mixed seed, sunflower, suet and nectar feeders. Always provide a water source as well. Avoid large expanses of lawn (and never apply toxic chemicals), and be sure to break up your backyard into resources with islands of shrubs and other plantings. Here are some bird friendly flowers and plants —honeysuckle, holly, viburnum, crabapple, dogwood, bergamot, hosta and butterfly bushes. Provide nesting spots and cover trees such as yew, arborvitae and other evergreen varieties. Once you set up this “bird” habitat you will be amazed at the variety of songbirds that visit your yard.

If “rural” includes your neck of the woods your birding possibilities expand. This is also true for those in coastal, mountain or prairie areas. You can provide the same resources as the suburban birdwatchers – set out water sources and feeding stations. Rural and wooded zones are home to a tremendous ecosystem. Keep a log of wild turkey, bobwhites and gallinaceous species, birds-of-prey including owls, hawks and eagles, pileated woodpeckers, thrush, warblers, orioles, bluebirds and so many more!

If you are a farmer with a hay field consult your local Audubon center or conservation society. Hayfields are a critical breeding ground for endangered field birds such as bobolink and killdeer. Leave center islands uncut and ensure a large swathe of grass is left along the perimeter of fields.

Coastal homesteaders will categorize a wide variety of shore and pelagic birds. Warmer Gulf zones will see gannets, brown pelicans, frigate birds, terns, albatross, boobies, sanderlings and sea ducks. Other hotspots for shore and ocean birds include stretches of the Pacific, Chesapeake, Eastern shoreline and even central lakes regions. The species recorded will be determined by the migration times. Be sure to check these migration maps to ensure best viewing during peak times.

Credit – windturbinesyndrome.com

Storms, weather patterns and other environmental aspects influence the times and peculiarities of migration tracks. Birds flock into hotspots at irregular moments in varying numbers. These migration tracking websites provide you with the latest updates – you don’t want to miss out on the Whooping Cranes soaring into the Aransas National Refuge!

The United States, and both the North and South American landmasses, are home to four internationally significant flyways. Learn more about them to witness the fantastic flow of birdlife through your area. There is a flyway that passes over every “band” (north south) of the US.

Atlantic Flyway (sea and shorebird exodus zone – home of the Chesapeake Bay)
Mississippi Flyway (called the “Sea of Birds”)
Central Flyway (famous for it’s Sandhill Cranes)
Pacific Flyway (critical shorebird habitat area stretching from Alaska to Mexico)

Here are a few resources!

Waterfowl (ducks, loons, geese): Ducks Unlimited offers regularly updated maps that pinpoint what species, population and weather reports are in effect in a specific area. This detailed map is a great resource for birdwatchers recording waterfowl populations.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology “Bird Cast”: The ornithologists at Cornell University use good old-fashioned observation and population records with high-tech tracking to get accurate reports of migrating birds. The information is used to provide

scientists with crucial population and conservation information as well as welfare impacts caused by human activity. The records prevent bird suffering by proactively making “decisions for placement of wind turbines and identifying nights on which lighting of tall buildings could be reduced to prevent the deaths of millions of birds.”

Audubon’s “Flyways of the Americas”: This interactive and detailed online map illustrates each of the four flyways (Eastern, Mississippi, Central and Pacific). Click on each area to learn more about the spring and fall migration patterns, which birds are the celebrities that draw in the birdwatchers and why these habitats are important.

What you can do

Record in your birding log book the species and population of the birds visiting your area. Log into the Audubon, Cornell or conservation departments and organizations in your region. Many of these groups rely on the information provided by local birding enthusiasts. The records you collect are crucial to monitoring habitat, environmental influences and human activity on the preservation initiatives. Join your favorite organization and become a field volunteer.

Birdwatching is a wonderful hobby that inspires us, and that allows each of us to perform a beneficial action to help conserve wildlife! When birders provide the habitat, knowledge and resources to set-up a powerful foundation for conservation, everyone wins!

The Audubon society reminds us that we can make a difference. “We’re in a race against time — to give birds a fighting chance in a changing world.”

Birding

How to Choose the Best Binoculars for Birding

Binoculars, field glasses, telescopes. We see them in action adventure films, high seas capers and spy thrillers. The first telescopic lens was attributed to the research of Hans Lippershey (1608), who marketed his device in Holland. Much of the fanfare surrounding 17^th century optics focused on the inventions of Galileo — Galilean optics.

Exactly.

Galilean optics refers to the telescope designed by, of course, Galileo in 1609. Comprised of a plano-convex lens and a plano-concave lens at the eyepiece, this technology was able to magnify viewed objects by 30x. Not bad. It allowed Galileo to see the moon’s craters. And if that isn’t exciting — modern day improvements on Galileo’s creation allow you to see that yellow warbler in the apple tree at a hundred feet away. That’s just as intriguing as looking at dust pits on the moon.

Sir Isaac Newton of the “falling apple gravity” fame, reconsidered earlier designs and came up with a novel approach involving the use of mirrors. The mirror lens collected the light and used reflection to gather that light to a focal point. The power of the mirror’s ability to do this allowed for magnification possibilities far beyond those of standard lens capabilities. Telescopes moved from double-digit magnifications to those in the millions.

The modern binocular, which consists of two “telescopes,” didn’t appear (pun intended) until the early 19^th century. An Italian inventor, Ignatio Porro, saw the light and used prisms to concoct his binocular in 1854. Curiously, Lippershey was originally told to fashion his single-style field glass into a double – binocular – design in 1608! Everything old is new again. Unfortunately, none of these inventors had bird watching in mind. Now that really is astounding.

What do binoculars do best? Magnify birds!

Having a hardscrabble pair of quality binoculars is as important as a good field guide for birdwatching. The problem is, many birders focus on their “homework,” identifying birds, learning calls and habitat (all important) but don’t spend any time researching binoculars. Bird watchers want birds, not technology. No one wants to waste time with a bunch of optics lectures when there are avians waiting outdoors. Besides, you don’t want to require a degree from MIT to figure out binoculars, just pack any old pair that’s easy to use. That approach is not a good idea. Here is why.

You need to purchase a pair of binoculars that:

Don’t require a Ph.D. to understand.
Are easy to use.

If you run out and buy the cheapest and smallest pair for sale at your local dime store – you will be disappointed. They won’t do the one thing we birders absolutely require in a pair of binoculars.

Birdwatching binoculars need to be able to focus QUICKLY! Ah, most of us have been there. We grab grandpa’s clunky double-telescopes, rip off the covers and run to the window to get a close look at the pileated woodpecker drumming on the old maple.

You’re flipping aside that darn neck strap and turning the stupid focus grips. This is a horse race, darn it, you don’t have all day. Come on…come on, focus you %^^&&. The pileated woodpecker got sick of those binoculars too…and flew into the forest. Yup.

What you WANT:

Light-weight binoculars that will fit in your gear and not require you to weight lift in order to use them in the field. If you have ever focused a pair of heavy lenses for long-term species’ observation, your arms feel like you are a losing contestant on a reality show. “How long can you hold your arms up? BEEEP, time’s up.”
The binoculars must be designed well enough to register brightness/light in many field conditions, including low light.
The binoculars need excellent acuity. They must be able to focus on a distant bird and provide you with exquisite clarity. You need to be able to distinguish feather patterns, plumage color (produced through a lens’ prism coatings) and fine details.
Focus, focus, focus. Unlike the birder using grandpa’s spyglass, you want a pair that will focus quickly and sharply. If you ever tried “following” a bird as he winged his way by, you know how important this is. It is very easy to “lose” sight and track of a moving bird.
Magnification is a variable. For most enthusiasts choose a pair that will deliver 7 or 8x. The higher the magnifying abilities the heavier the binoculars. For birders that will be doing frequent and dedicated distance sightings, invest in a tripod set-up.
Distance and power is not always an advantage. Backyard and homestead birdwatchers that want to get “up close” to the visitors at feeding stations will want to consider binoculars that offer a close-focus feature.

For specific information on how binoculars work click here – Optics Den.

Note: People who use spectacles know the trials of propping binoculars in front of their eyeglasses. Your glasses make the experience frustrating. The image is hard to get into focus and you may only get a clear view of the center, and even then, you are squinting and everything is wavering. This is because binoculars are designed by how far your eye is from the piece! Your glasses change this distance. Purchase binoculars with “eye relief” features – 16mm (for low prescriptions only) —20mm. Or, wear contacts when you go birdwatching!

Porro Prism and Roof Prism

Porro prism binoculars are the old-standard. Just like your father’s Buick, these hinged field glasses with the off-kilter lens path still do the job. And if you require a low-priced pair for simple and occasional backyard viewing purposes — these will certainly give you contrast and clarity. They are worth their weight, and price, for hobby birders.

Roof prism binoculars replaced the porro over 40 years ago. These sleek, modern “flat-bridge” designed glasses allow for a straight line from the eyepiece to the objective lenses. Requiring more precise manufacturing techniques their price reflects that. Most binoculars are roof prism, but be sure to buy a quality pair (and the $$ will reflect that).

If you have simple needs and/or a low budget – purchase the porro models.

Your purchase

Binoculars are like cars. You can buy a Toyota or you can buy a Porsche. It’s up to you and your budget. Visit a local birding store or sporting store to talk to the experts about your needs. Always mention that you will be using the binoculars for birdwatching and also whether you will require a pair for backyard spotting or serious field observations. There are so many variables beyond price, that only an expert can assist you in getting the perfect pair of binoculars that will last “forever.” Try out the field glasses to find the design and model that you feel the most comfortable using.

For more information on which binoculars will work for your needs visit the Optics Den. A specialist is waiting to assist you.

What are your favorite binoculars? Leave us a comment and let us know what birdwatchers are using today!