My Birding World

Fall is without a doubt my favorite season. The sun is no longer beating its hot rays directly overhead and instead casts a gentle blue hue at dusk and dawn. The air is getting crisp and the brown, smoky skies are replaced by a familiar deep blue. Here in the Bay Area most of our trees stay green throughout the season, but there are occasional pops of red, yellow, and orange colors in sporadic trees.

Immature White-crowned Sparrow, 2011

Of course, birding is exciting for me in the fall. While we say goodbye to many of our bird friends who fly south, we welcome our winter visitors such as the white-crowned sparrows. Sometimes, birds that missed a turn on their normal migration route spend a day or two in our area and birders get a rare glimpse of an eastern species without having to leave the state. The birding world becomes a flurry of activity and excitement as amateurs and professionals alike rush out on a hot tip to see a new bird spotted just hours earlier. It’s a great way to meet new people and swap stories of other birding adventures.

Recently, I heard a call that I haven’t heard since early spring – the squeaky call of an American wigeon. I jumped into the air with joy upon hearing the call as it always brings a smile to my face. When I approached the pond, I realized that I was struggling to remember names of other winter ducks. “What’s that plain-gray duck called? It starts with a ‘G.’ I think… … … gadwall!” Time to dust off the field guide and brush up on my winter birds!