Diverse habitats attract birds and birders alike
By Julia Boyle
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
According to Richard Louv, author of the critically acclaimed book Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder, nature enthusiasts are fading in today’s fast-paced, high-tech society, especially among children.
In fact, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior’s “National Survey of Fishing, Hunting, and Wildlife,” the number of Americans who participate in traditional forms of recreational outdoor activities decreased by ten million from 1991 to 2001.
Yet Louv sees hope in one well-known outdoor pastime—birding.
He cites reports in World Watch and Birding magazines, which say that while birding has always been a traditional hobby, it is now the fastestgrowing branch of outdoor wildlife watching.
Here in Maryland, the vast variety of habitats makes for excellent bird watching. “It’s become a real hobby for a lot of people now,” says longtime birder Barbara Walker. “It didn’t used to be, but it’s been a growing hobby for a lot of reasons.”
Outdoor classroom
Walker, who has traveled all over the world in search of rare birds, now enjoys watching the colorful array of birds that visit Charlestown, where she lives. “We have quite a variety of habitats right here on campus, so birding is really fun here,” she says.
With a forest, a stream, and a large pond, Walker sees everything from geese, ducks, and swans to hawks, owls, finches, and chickadees, among others. “We even have three types of woodpeckers,” she says.
For Walker, the joy of bird watching comes from learning a region’s species, their particular habitats, and their behaviors. “You not only learn a lot about the birds, but you also get outside in the fresh air and go to areas you wouldn’t normally go,” she says.