YOU MIGHT BE A BIRD NERD IF…

I probably should explain what a bird-nerd is. I am a bird-nerd, and I suspect you are too.
As a little history, I grew up in a family that enjoyed the outdoors. Through high school and into my early college years any outdoor experience was fun. Then early in my college career I was bitten by the birding bug. I took an ornithology course and the field trips were a thrill. I was hooked.

As time progressed I graduated college and into the working world, I found a good percentage of the “normal” population did not share my passion for birding, and actually thought me a bit ‘odd’. As an example, after a weekend of watching cormorants, pelicans, grebes, oystercatchers, as well as migrating whales, sea otters and harbor seals through my binoculars, I ended up with a sun/wind burnt face. I went to work on Monday, and initially answered inquiries with the truth, (I was bird watching in San Luis Obispo), and after receiving a couple of RCA dog looks, I decided to tell them I went snow skiing, which seemed more believable or acceptable somehow. (I never did learn to ski).

Particularly in the dating scene I learned this “secret” passion should be just that, secret. I kept it general, you know, “I like the outdoors, long walks on the beach, Virgos, and Mai Tai’s”. This approach worked well enough I married my wife before sharing my “secret”, ( I am still surprised she stayed with me).

As time progressed, we had kids, mortgages, car payments, and more, so opportunities to get out to bird were few and far between. Then, when my oldest son was in high school and studying “cool”, I saw an ad for the Christmas Bird Count sponsored by the Auduon Society. I decided to go and asked if he wanted to go as well. He was clear he was only going for the hike and not to look at birds. This worked for me. So, we went.

The first person we see at the rendezvous point was a reporter for a local newspaper. This reporter thought it was wonderful we had a father/son team counting birds in Joshua Tree National Park. This, of course, mortified my son. He finally assuaged his mortification with the idea that he didn’t actually know anyone in the high desert, so no one he knew would see the article. He was safe.

We had a fine day walking and counting birds, talking with more experienced birders. This was where I learned what an “LBJ” was. When a small brown flash flitted by and I exclaimed “What was that?” our guide said it was an LBJ. Before I searched through my pocket identification book, he explained it meant some “Little Brown Jobbie”.

After our day we met the other volunteers at a local pizza parlor, and were introduced to another reporter, this time from our city, Palm Springs. Again, she was fascinated by the father/son aspect and again mortified my son, this time with a photograph. I still have both articles.

So, as I collected newspaper clippings with pictures of my son and I counting birds. My son sweating and praying none of his friends actually read a newspaper. My wife saw this and dubbed me a nerd. This quickly turned into a bird-nerd, and son.

The bird counts re-ignited my passion for bird watching. While I still don’t get to travel and explore as much as I would like, I now am the proud birder with three sons who at least like to accompany me on hikes. I have also accumulated a friend or two that accompany us on some of our outings.

Some of our outings have had some mild adventures that I thought I’d like to share. I am proud to call myself a bird-nerd and will share some of the more humorous adventure stories under the Foxworthy-like heading “You might be a bird-nerd if…” I am interested in hearing (reading) about any fellow nerd adventures as well. My email address will attached should you wish to share. The following are a sample of what might qualify one to be a bird-nerd.

A friend of mine decided she would like birding as well, and we took a trip to one of my favorite spots, Montana De Oro State Park near San Luis Obispo in central California. On the way, we stopped at a rest stop and as we were leaving we saw several birds soaring on the wing. It was difficult to see so we decided to pull to the side of the road. We were in her Honda Civic, which had about a 4” clearance. As we pulled to the right, we found a pothole that far exceeded the 4” clearance and the Honda leaned to the right and bottomed out the car. However, we didn’t concern ourselves with the car until we identified the turkey vultures and made sure no red tails were amongst them. Then we tended to the car. So, you might be a bird-nerd if… you disregard you car’s or own safety in order to properly identify a bird.

Another outing found us in the Salton Sea area. The same Honda Civic, now on a two lane road in a farming area surrounding the Salton Sea. We spot a burrowing owl standing near his burrow. So, naturally we stop the car and begin to stare through our binoculars at the little predator. The car shook with the engine running so, we turned off the motor. That gave us a clear view of the bird, who was cooperating very well. As we were oohing and aaahing at the diminuitive owl, we heard a loud horn belonging to a semi-truck approaching rapidly toward us. A glance in the mirror revealed another semi-truck barreling toward us from the rear. There was a mad scramble reminiscent of the Tyrannosaur chase in Jurassic Park until we could get the car started and move off the roadway and allow the behemoth trucks to pass, with us unharmed.

So, you might be a bird-nerd if…you stop your car in a truck route in order to see a burrowing owl up close, nearly getting maimed or killed in the process.

Other offerings for your consideration are as follows:

You might be a bird-nerd if…
You plan your vacation around a birding event.
You plan a trip to a tropical island because it is called Bird Island, only to find out it is called that because it is shaped like a bird.
You take a romantic tropical vacation, and buy a bird book for the area, just in case.
You take more pictures of birds, places and wildlife than people on your vacations.
You lament the loss of the bird that was almost our national bird on Thanksgiving.
You embarrass family and friends by wearing binoculars on elastic straps stretched about your torso.
You nearly crash your car trying to get a better look at a bird flying off to the side.
You get pulled over by law enforcement who believed you may have had too much to drink, but are stunned when you show them you are listening to you CD of bird calls and not paying attention to the road…sober.
You brave 120 degree weather in the desert in order to find an ugly bird, (wood stork), and find it fun to do so.
You watch movies and notice the birds in the backqround, stopping and rewinding if you can to get a better look.