 |
Nikon and The Brevard Nature Alliance present the Space Coast Birding & Wildlife Festival Brevard Community College, Titusville Campus 1311 North U.S. Highway 1, Titusville January 23 - 28, 2008 -- Titusville, Florida A celebration of birds and wildlife. |
Most people are drawn to birding because of a fascination with wild wonders that surround us on a daily basis. Very often, an individual can cite a precise incident or event that turned them from a curious observer to a full fledged birder! For me, a Snowy Owl within a mile of my childhood home sparked an insatiable curiosity that lasts to this day. As I stood transfixed, staring at the mythical white owl of cigar box fame, I instantly knew I'd discovered something more than just an owl on a frozen pond!
I've heard others suggest that people bird because it is easy and inexpensive. After all, you only need a pair of binoculars and a book, right?!?.… These people are generally not birders, or have barely scratched the surface and are still in serious denial, as nothing could be further from the truth in reality. Birding offers constant challenges and you can make new discoveries every single day without even leaving your backyard. It is the challenging nature of birding that keeps people interested for a lifetime. If it were either simple or mundane, we would certainly bore of it quickly.
However, as naturally curious beings, most individuals soon realize they can learn much more by exploring just beyond their backyard, and then neighborhood, and town, and county and state… It's a vicious cycle full of excitement around every bend with plenty of wonderful people with which to share each exciting discovery. The whole statement about ' …only needing a pair of binoculars and a book…' is also a gross simplification that bears further commentary as well. Soon after moving beyond the backyard, you will surely want to join an organized bird walk run by a local Audubon chapter, nature center, or perhaps a birding festival. Here a well meaning tour leader will show you the view through his or her spotting scope and/or premium binoculars and you will come to realize why others are able to put a name to the brown smudge you see through your own optical equipment. Most are amazed by this revelation and it is not uncommon to hear people shuffle away muttering, "I don't understand, those are the same size as mine!" after such an event.
You will also soon realize that there is WAY more than just one book, in fact there are a lot more. A dizzying array of choices exists for field guides to the birds of North America, in addition to localized, regional guides that offer a more accurate portrayal of the birds specific to your area. Then you begin to notice the many tomes dedicated to more advanced identification of specific families or groups of birds, as well as varying bird-finding guides to help make sure you have better success while exploring new locales.
If you continue to find recreational birding fun and exciting, you will likely have no problem justifying the expense of more books, more travel and upgrading your optics to ensure maximum enjoyment in the field while pursuing your new found obsession. You may also discover the addictive nature of bird photography and/or recording bird songs. At this point your "hobby" seems much more like an addiction, and it is anything BUT inexpensive.
A few signs you may suffer as a full-fledged birding addict: 
√ you head into the field carrying binoculars, spotting scope, camera with telephoto lens, directional microphone and recording equipment. √ your first consideration in planning any family vacation is maximizing your potential to see new and/or interesting bird species. √ stopping in a crowded street, trail, or park and "pishing" and "squeaking" to attract a bird doesn't strike you as the least bit unusual (despite the inquisitive expressions of those around you). √ the checkmarks used in this list make you want to go birding. If any of this sounds familiar, welcome to my world. As addictions go, I think we share one of the best!
2008 Festival Articles
2008 Keynote Speakers
Back to Festival HomePage
Click here to send eMail inquiries about the Festival
