Bird Talk

A bit of spare time and a little investment steered Nancy Lewis to the grace, color and wonder of birds, a passion that is now a big part of her life.

"I was looking for something to do because I was in the house a lot," said Lewis, a bird fancier from Fayetteville. She liked birds, so she bought a feeder. That was two years ago, and she hasn't looked back.

"I've kept track, and in two years I've had 16 species of birds at my feeder," she said.

People who feed birds, watch birds and study them took seats in the community room at the Fayetteville Public Library on Saturday to hear Joe Neal, one of the region's experts on birds, wax scientific, poetic and nostalgic about birds.

There was something for everyone during Neal's easy-going talk. Bona fide ornithologists could revel in the facts and data Neal presented about the scientific Breeding Bird Survey that takes place across North America. More casual bird fans learned about binoculars, bird watching and bird feeding from Neal, of Fayetteville, who has written several books and hundreds of articles about birds.

Neal emphasized a few "take-home" messages in his hourlong presentation. One is that a small investment can pay dividends in a lifetime of enjoyment, exercise and camaraderie watching and learning about birds.

A budding bird watcher can buy a decent pair of binoculars for $100 and a field guide for around $20. That's about all a beginning birder needs, Neal told the group.

"You can see all kinds of birds without binoculars. But boy, you can see a lot more with them."

Binoculars are the main tool of the birder's trade and the first investment most birders make. Go for quality, Neal advised. Buy the best binoculars you can afford."Once you get over the sticker shock, you won't notice it, and you'll have yourself some good binoculars," Neal said.

"Overall, if you spend more, you're going to get more in quality, but that's not always the case," he continued. "There are good $100 binoculars and bad ones. Same with $500 binoculars and on up."

It's best to buy binoculars locally at a store and not online, Neal said. That way you can pick them up, try them out, and make sure they're right for you. Plus you're supporting a local business and its employees, he added.

Like clothing, binoculars need to fit. If you try a pair and can't hold them steady, try a lesser power binocular. That should minimize the shaking factor.

With the right binoculars in hand, it's time to visit the bookstore for a field guide to identify the birds you'll see. Neal didn't cite any particular guide as a favorite. There are several good ones for around $20.

Birders start out identifying birds by sight. Stick with it awhile, Neal said, and most people start birding with their ears more than eyes. Savvy birders get to know by heart the sound of a particular species and know birds by their song.

To Feed Or Not

Birds don't need people to feed them, Neal said. Even in winter, birds have no trouble finding food. It's fine to feed them, but the feeding is all about bringing birds in close so people can see them, Neal said.

That's the plus side. On the flip side, birds congregated at feeders are easy targets for hawks, which swoop down fast as lightning and snatch a songbird for a meal. Feeders and bird baths that aren't cleaned can make birds sick.

Black-oil sunflower seed is the meat and potatoes of bird feeding. Suet will attract additional bird species.

Just 'Gotta Bird'

Better watch this bird-watching habit, Neal told one questioner. The deeper one immerses oneself in birding, the deeper one immerses oneself in birding.

Neal is up to his earlobes in bird passion. In addition to writing books, leading field trips and just going birding for fun, Neal regularly takes part in birding surveys throughout the year. One is the Breeding Bird Survey, which takes place across North America.

This one isn't for rookies. Expert volunteer birders gather the data at hundreds of sites in the United States and Canada. Neal's territory is the Upper Buffalo Wilderness Area. He does the survey alone, partly because it's no easy hike in the park. Neal gets to the Buffalo by 5:30 a.m. to get started.

His route covers about 24 miles on public and private land from the Compton community to the forests southwest of Boxley. Neal stops at a spot, then watches and listens for three minutes. He keeps track of all the birds he sees and hears in the three minutes. Then he drives another half mile and stops to listen for another three minutes. And so on until he has covered the 24 miles. It takes about four hours.

It's a survey Neal has been involved with for years. The survey gives the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service trend data that is used to keep track of the health of bird species. Neal said of about 100 species tallied in the Upper Buffalo Wilderness, about half have been fairly stable over the years. A few species have declined, but others have grown in numbers.

Most birders won't find themselves up to their eyeballs in bird enthusiasm like Neal. Casual or serious, birding is a pastime anyone can enjoy.

"You can watch all the bird programs you want on TV, but it's so easy to go out and see the real thing," Neal said.

"For the price of binoculars and a field guide, you've made an investment in a lifetime of being outdoors."