[mou] Birding Skills development

[Sharon Stiteler]

The more time I spend with other birders, the more I learn, for me  
it's the best way to go.  Everyone has different tips and techniques  
that they use to id birds and I love to hear what they use.  We're  
also fortunate in this state that there are opportunities for  
workshops at bird festivals and events.  Shorebirds were just tough  
for me to get and last year Doug Buri offered a weekend workshop that  
helped me immensely.  I hear that he and Bob Janssen are offering it  
again in August of 2008.  If you've never been able to get "peeps" I  
can't recommend that workshop enough.



Sharon Stiteler
www.birdchick.com
Minneapolis, MN


On Dec 19, 2007, at 10:06 AM, Jim Ryan wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> In the spirit of Pastor Al Schirmacher,
> I finally came up with my own good question:
>
> Exactly, precisely, how do YOU improve your birding skills?
>
> From beginner, intermediate, advanced, and expert. (I just made up  
> those designations)  How does one progress?
>
> Obviously, time spent in the field is the primary requirement, but  
> it needs to be quality, not just quantity.
>
> When not in the field, I have spent quite a bit of time looking  
> closely at my Sibley Field guides and have read and re-read  
> Sibley's Birding Basics.  I have a copy of Peterson's HOW TO KNOW  
> THE BIRDS, which is also helpful in a general way, and Kaufmans  
> ADVANCED BIRDING, in which I have focused on several chapters.
>
> I spent a lot of time in my early birding years getting to know a  
> handful of the common birds REALLY well by sight and sound in all  
> seasons, lighting, angles, postures, movement patterns, etc.  I  
> also spent a lot of time poring over my field guide when I was  
> young (Golden was all I had as a kid) and could not get out of the  
> city/suburbs of Detroit.
>
> I have never been one to use a field notebook much or draw the  
> birds, I somehow absorbed the shapes of the whole bird and it's  
> parts so that recognizing Families and many species is second  
> nature now.
>
> I have learned a lot from spending time in the field with other  
> birders who are better/more experienced than I.
>
> What's your story and what are you working on?
>
> -- 
> Sincerely,
>
> Jim Ryan on St. Paul's Westside
> 651-308-0234 business cell
>
> "A man who dares to waste an hour of time has not discovered the  
> value of life." - Charles Darwin
>
>
>
> -- 
> Sincerely,
>
> Jim Ryan on St. Paul's Westside
> 651-308-0234 business cell
>
> "A man who dares to waste an hour of time has not discovered the  
> value of life." - Charles Darwin

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