Photo by PublicDomainImages from Pixabay • A loggerhead shrike perches on a branch to survey its territory. These songbirds can be difficult to locate in the region, so it helps to know more experienced birders when seeking out the more uncommon species.
With three birding organizations in Northeast Tennessee, newcomers to the pastime have plenty of options when looking for affiliation with like-minded individuals.
Last week, I spotlighted the Elizabethton Bird Club. This week, I am putting the focus on the Bristol Bird Club. Next week, the column will feature Birding Kingsport.
Larry McDaniel, a former president of the Bristol Bird Club, endorses the importance of birding organizations for the beginning birder.
“Becoming a part of a local bird club such as the Bristol Bird Club is a great way for new and beginning birders to be able to be around experienced birders who love to help you learn about birding,” McDaniel said.
Membership in a local birding group can help newcomers to birding quickly learn where to find birds in the area, according to McDaniel.
Experienced birders are also accessible for such tasks as learning how to know the birds that people see in their own yards. A more experienced birder, McDaniel noted, can also share information on the many ways of learning how to identify different species.
“It is also a great way to meet new friends who share a common interest,” McDaniel added. “We offer many outings where you will get to be in the field with other birders. All of our outings are suitable for all levels, including kids.”
McDaniel noted that the lure of birds is a powerful draw for many people.
“Birding and bird watching have been a fascination for many people for a very long time,” he said. “It gets more and more popular as time goes on.”
McDaniel added that there’s something about birds that captivates human attention.
“Many are spectacular in appearance while others are quite cryptic, blending in with the habitat they are in,” he said. “Either way brings excitement to the watcher. Just seeing a gorgeous scarlet tanager can fill you with awe. Finding a singing red-eyed vireo that’s hiding in the thick foliage of a tall tree creates a satisfying sense of achievement.”
Photo Courtesy of Jean Potter
A male scarlet tanager brightens shadowy woodlands with a flash of tropical colors yet remains mostly inconspicuous in the forest canopy.
Bird behavior is also one reason for people to devote their time to observing birds.
“Hawks in flight, songbirds bringing food to their young or a heron hunting for a fish in shallow water are just a few examples of behaviors that draw our attention,” McDaniel said.
“It seems there is always something new to see and learn,” he added. “There is an old saying, ‘birding is a lifetime guarantee against boredom.’”
Michele Sparks, first vice president for the Bristol Bird Club, joined McDaniel in promoting the importance of membership in a birding group for people looking to expand their birding skills.
“By joining the Bristol Bird Club, a beginner birder would have many opportunities to meet experienced, friendly birders who not only have monthly meetings with guest speakers but take to the field to study birds on a regular basis,” Sparks said.
“We have scheduled field trips, and then there are individuals who meet weekly for the pleasure of birding,” she added. “New members are always welcome, but the connections you make are most important for new birders.” Sparks said many members want extra help finding birds in the area (commonly called hot spots), identifying birds and getting bird tips.
In addition, Sparks said, “The pleasure of being outdoors to study birds can connect with those members who routinely bird in the local areas.”
Sparks noted that the Bristol Bird Club maintains a Facebook page highlighting upcoming events such as the recent trip to Panhandle Road and a “Whips and Chucks Outing” held in early June to look and listen for nocturnal whip-poor-wills and chuck-will’s-widows.
Sparks noted that the Bristol Bird Club holds regularly scheduled monthly bird walks at Steele Creek Park in Bristol, Tennessee, usually the second Thursday of the month, as well as bird walks at Jacob’s Nature Center in Johnson City.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gfs0dCnPk6k
The Bristol Bird Club belongs to both the Tennessee Ornithological Society and Virginia Ornithological Society. The chapter’s name — the J. Wallace Coffey Chapter — honors the memory of the late J. Wallace Coffey, a longtime leader in the group.
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Bryan Stevens has been writing about birds and birding since 1995. To ask a question, make a comment or share a sighting, email him at ahoodedwarbler@aol.com.
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