Mapleton resident and avid bird watcher, Susan Warren took fellow bird enthusiasts through an informative workshop on common summer birds.
The event, held on April 19 at the Drayton library, focused on bird identification using a variety of reference books and personal sightings experienced by the speaker and the workshop attendees.
Each participant at the workshop was given a Wellington County map to mark on locations of bird sightings, and a pamphlet titled, Trails take Flight, containing the location of the 20 favourite birding trails in the Grand River Watershed. Trail information, tips on getting started and a detailed map with trail names and locations are included in the pamphlet. Popular locations workshop attendees recommended in the Grand River watershed were the Luther Marsh near Grand Valley and Snyder’s Flats Trail in Bloomingdale. Published by the Grand River Country Tourism Alliance, copies are available at the Drayton Library or online at www.grandrivercountry.com.
Warren lead the group through a two page list of summer birds common to Ontario, briefly describing each bird’s identifiable features. Some of the birds discussed included the wood duck, turkey vulture, osprey, wild turkey, killdeer, mourning dove, belted kingfisher, purple martin, house wren, ruby-crowned kinglets, gray catbird, cedar waxwing, scarlet tanager, indigo bunting and Baltimore oriole. Group discussions were encouraged around recent sightings of native birds.
“Identifying birds can be difficult. There has been a time when I was able to identify one particular bird by its feet,” Warren said.
“The best way to learn bird identification is to resource books and magazines, take bird walks and go on bird tours.”
One topic of interest to the group was the feeding of hummingbirds. Warren suggested that birders should avoid using dyes, feeders can be left out for five days before changing the food during cooler days and two to three days during warmer weather. Bleach the feeder with a one part bleach to ten parts water and rinse thoroughly to remove any bacteria. Hummingbird feeders can be placed outside as early as the beginning of May and remain outdoors until the end of November.
The Wellington County library system has binoculars available for patron use and numerous reference books are available for loan on bird identification. Warren recommended, Birds of Ontario by Andy Bezener and A Guide to Field Identification: Birds of North America by Golden Press, as excellent birding guides for bird watchers of any experience level.
Warren will be hosting other workshops for bird lovers in the near future. For children interested in attending one of Warren’s workshops, a free bird workshop titled, Kids Who Love Birds Too, will be held on Aug. 21 from 10:30 to 11:30am at the Drayton library. Space is limited to 10 children. More information can be obtained by contacting the Drayton library. To learn more about birds common to the Mapleton area, bird watchers can read Warren’s monthly column, Lovers of the Birds, in the Community News.
