Newbie Birders and the Story of the Kingfisher

Merritt Island, Florida (62 degrees, blue skies)

“A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he saw the less he spoke; The less he spoke the more he heard; Why aren't we like that wise old bird?”

 

 

Kingfisher

 

 

This beautiful, shy, illusive, feathery creature was the tipping point for us.  We have tried and tried  to get a picture of kingfisher and at last we were able to photograph one at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge.  We were so excited!  Actually we were ecstatic.  Could it be we've become birders? We have enjoyed bird watching in the past and John's nickname is Birdman for his ability to spot them and nearly crashing the car a few times looking for them.  Our excitement has been building over the past two years as we have discovered more and more of them as we travel down the road.  Now we are studying them and enjoying new discoveries.  Our binoculars and  bird book are  handy now and in the car at all times.   Hmmmnn...so what exactly is a birder?

 

Along boardwalk at Visitors Center

 

 

Definition of a birder:    a person who identifies and studies birds in their natural habitats.

 

 



 

This definition certainly fits.  Our kingfisher may have just set a new hobby in motion.  Our friends Randy and Fran recommended the seven mile Black Point Road in the refuge and described it as a birders paradise. This tranquil peace of heaven was set aside by the Kennedy Space Center and is managed by the National Fish and Wildlife Service.

 

Be sure to pick up the self guide brochure as you enter. It's easy to find the best birds as a rule...look for parked cars and folks with big binoculars and fancy cameras.  The best viewing time are morning or early evening.

 



Air Plants and Spanish Moss



 

We stopped first at the Visitor Center and after talking to a ranger and obtaining some bird maps we took a short hike on the boardwalk with our friends JC, Bev,and Carol. It was very nice hike and we were all treated to some songbirds serenading us. Click on the link below to hear them. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I found these funny quotes on a website while searching for a definition of a birder.  Do some of them apply to you?

 

You might be a birder if - someone yells "Duck!", and you look up and shout "Where?"

 

 

 

Birders checking out the Spoonbills

You might be a birder if - you identify calls of birds in the soundtracks of television shows and movies.

Blue-Winged Teal

 

 

 

You might be a birder if - you spend fifteen minutes preparing dinner for your family, and thirty minutes mixing and placing seed for your birds.

 

 

Seeing a Roseate Spoonbill is really a treat.  We saw them a couple of years ago  at Ding Darling Refuge but they were in the distance.  This time we saw them very close by at several locations and in flight too.
 

Roseate Spoonbill

 

 

 

 

You might be a birder if - you wake up your spouse at 5:30am and exclaim, "Is that a phoebe I'm hearing outside the window?"

 

 

American coots

 

 

You might be a birder if - your spouse says, "It's either me or the birds," and you have to think about it.

 

 

Lesser Scaup

 

 

Tri-Colored Heron

 

 

You might be a birder if - you participate in hours-long discussions about the pros and cons of using a certain field guide.

 

 

 

 

 

Glossy Ibis

 

 

You might be a birder if - your neck hurts except when you're looking up.

 

Great Egret

 

You might be a birder if - better hearing makes your "Top Five Wish List."

 

 

We went back three times. Heck, we'd have set up camp there if it was possible.  One evening we came around the corner and saw hundreds of American White Pelicans  stopping for a quick bite to eat.  Within minutes soundlessly they took off again.  It was just one of those moments you'll always remember.  If we'd been fifteen minutes later we'd have missed it. 

 

 

American White Pelican

 

 

 

 

 

 

You might be a birder if - you're all the time wanting to stop the car, and your riders are saying "What are you stopping for?"

 

 

Blue Skimmer & Royal Tern

 

 

Our favorite bird was the elegant Reddish Egret.  It's rather rare according to what some birders told us.  He was all by himself dancing in the shallow water and made all of us laugh with his antics and joyful carefree attitude. 

 

 

 

Reddish Egret



 

 

Randy and Fran have spent several hours with us since this trip and answered numerous questions  about birding.  For example they suggested purchasing a better bird book (Sibley's), subscribing to ebird, exploring websites and forums  (aba.org) and apps (Audobon).  Maybe we are birders.  Sounds like fun to us.  

 

And my personal favorite - You might be a birder if - your spouse is a birder.