On Saturday, we had the opportunity to join a friend from church at Fountain Creek Park for the annual spring bird count. So Daniel and Sarah and I got up early and braved the cold dreariness, bringing along our borrowed binoculars and sense of adventure.
At the park's nature center, we met our fellow birdwatchers and divided into groups. My group consisted of the three of us, our church friend, and three others, and we were assigned to Area Six.
From about 7:30 a.m. to 10:30, we traversed our area (sometimes on the paths, sometimes not), stopping frequently for bird sightings. We trod softly on dirt paths. We spoke in hushed tones so as not to drown out the sounds of bird calls. Each species of bird that was identified (either by sight or by sound) was recorded on a list to be counted later.
Did I mention that it was COLD? In the Springs, the sun makes the difference between a warm day and a cold day. So we have lots of winter days that get warm enough for short sleeves, and the occasional late spring day that barely gets above 40 degrees. Still, apparently overcast days are better for seeing birds, so I guess there was a benefit to struggling through the bitter wind, the past week's blissful, sunshiney warmth only a distant memory.
I was astonished by our fellow birders' ability to identify what seemed like hundreds of different species, sometimes by song alone. Though the three of us Service Adventurers contributed little (if anything) to the spotting and recognizing of birds, we certainly learned some things. Possibly the best part was the level of excitement when all seven of us, brandishing binoculars, were fixated on one single rare or exceptionally striking bird nearby. I had to wonder what the birds thought.
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