Summer Birding

I don't mind being out in the winter, but I truly hate the summer once temps get into the 90's, let alone over 100. Summer has definitely arrived, and I suppose it is about time, but I could jump right past summer and be happy. Even though morning temps are more moderate, 80's are still not much to get excited about.

My air conditioner is my friend. I try not to keep it too cool in the house (after all, then it is 100 degrees outside, 80 feels really cool.) My summer birding tends to tend more toward magazines and websites than binoculars and the field. Call me a wuss, but there you have it. One of these days, perhaps I'll be wealthy enough to high tail it someplace cooler for at least part of the summer and watch birds there.

Anyway, the point to my ramble is that I am catching up on my birding magazines (we won't talk about how many of them I subscribe to--I am sure there should be some legal limit for those of us who have no willpower whatsoever about these things.) There is a nice article on field notes in the Winging It newsletter from the American Birding Association (ABA.) I would provide a link as the article is on-line, but it is password protected for members only. If you are a member and just haven't checked on the June issue of Winging It, I would recommend the article.

If you are a more serious birder, then I would suggest membership in the ABA as they have some good birding ID quizzes that help sharpen your skills as well as some interesting articles and beautiful photos in their publications. They do orient their writings to a more scientific crowd however, so the writing style is definitely not Birdwatchers Digest--articles are more in-depth and focus a lot on research and more technical aspects of the hobby. They also cater to listers--those who keep meticulous records of their sitings.

Good birding!