Reading The Conditions Leads To An Amazing Morning Of Birding

Anyone who has followed my blog for any length of time or has come out to an event I’ve spoken at knows how I use the weather conditions to my advantage when birding. This approach always results in great days birding and pinpoints where the birds are. Reading the conditions helps me eliminate areas where fewer birds will be concentrated and makes my time in the field more efficient. 

For subscribers new to my blog, photography is not my main source of income and I do have a full-time job. I work from home and have since long before the pandemic and most of my birding/photography is done while taking a short break in the morning to stretch, get some fresh air, and walk my dog. As a result, I’m pressed for time so focus my efforts where I know the birds will be based on the weather conditions that day.

In terms of weather conditions, the main thing I focus on is wind the second is the sun. Wind will tell you where the birds will be during the colder months as birds will concentrate in areas protected from the wind. For example, if the wind is out of the west, a forest edge on the west side of a meadow or the west bank of a river is going to hold more birds than the east because this is the protected or leeward side. During the warmer months, the wind pushes insects into areas, and in return, birds will be there feeding. I use the morning sun to my advantage as this warms areas first and birds will associate with these warm areas in cold weather and in the warmer weather, this is where insects, a main food source for many birds, will become active first. Paying attention to the wind and sun helps me find birds fast maximizing my time outdoors before heading back to work. 

Let me give you a specific example of an incredible morning of birding I had last week by paying attention to and using the conditions in my favour. Following a few hours of work, the sun was finally up. I ate breakfast, bundled up, and stepped out the front door with my camera secured in my Cotton Carrier. I planned to bird at a city park only a short walk from home. Checking the weather before I left I noticed the wind was strong out of the north. As I walked to the park, I already had a plan in my head where I was going to focus my efforts based on the wind direction and morning sun. 

The park I birded at consists of a large open meadow surrounded by forest. On the north side of the park, the land slopes upward slightly into the subdivision. This is where I spent the morning birding as this subtle change in elevation provided the perfect windbreak from the cold north wind. At the bottom of this hill is a small gulley where water from the neighbourhood and meadow drains. The forest here is a mix of deciduous trees and shrubs including honeysuckle which were covered in bright red berries. The taller alder trees present growing from the water-filled trench were loaded with catkins. Where the honeysuckle ends goldenrod and teasels begin which have now gone to seed. The morning sun beaming from the south was warming this side of the park and providing great light for photos. It was the perfect mix of food, water, and shelter and birds were present in large numbers. 

Hearing the soft calls of robins and high-pitched whistles of Cedar Waxwings I scanned the honeysuckle at eye level. These bushes were loaded with the aforementioned birds gorging themselves on the ripe fruit. Raising my camera I fired off several images with my Canon 7D. From overhead, I could hear American Goldfinches and Pine Siskins that were feeding on the alder seeds. 

Dark-eyed Juncos foraged on goldenrod seeds from within the tangled maze of stalks that had bent over under the weight of the snow. American Tree and a Song Sparrow were also observed. Mourning Doves could be seen on the forest floor soaking up the morning sun. Higher up, both White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches were heard and seen moving down the tree trunks. Loud drumming could be heard coming from the forest and after scanning the trees I was treated to great views of Red-bellied, Hairy, and downy Woodpeckers. In total, I identified 21 different bird species in this small section of the park. 

Now I’m sure I could have wandered through the park willy-nilly and seen some birds, but not in this variety or quantity. By paying attention to the conditions and using them to my advantage I focused my attention on the area that held the highest concentration of birds. Using the warm morning sun and hill that provided protection from the cold north wind as a map guided me right to where the birds were. After enjoying great views of a variety of birds, some fresh air, and exercise I headed back home to complete my workday.  

Paying close attention to the conditions and using them to give me the upper hand is something I’ve done while birding for many years and will continue to do so for many more because it simply works. If you are hoping to see more birds on your next outing keep the conditions in mind and use them to increase the number of species you tally. This simple practice is something anyone young or old, beginner or expert can do to stack the deck in their favour maximizing time in the field. 

Good birding,
Paul  

*My 2021 calendars have arrived and are selling fast! A great gift idea for the bird lover on your list.*