Many birders, myself included, primarily enjoy the seasonal aspects of the pastime: witnessing the change in diversity and populations of these mobile creatures throughout the year. While I do participate in bird counts, it is the ever-changing nature of the overall experience that keeps me enthused.
This morning, at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area, I encountered the largest number of great egrets and red-winged blackbirds that I have seen all summer. The reason, of course, is that they are beginning to gather in larger flocks as their breeding season comes to an end and they prepare for the coming challenges of autumn and winter. The egrets will migrate to warmer climes while the red-wings will congregate in massive flocks (often in the company of other blackbird species) to improve their chance of finding food and surviving the colder months.
Now, as the climate warms, our life-long observations might become less valid; seasonal ranges and migration patterns will begin to change. Nevertheless, birding will remain one of the best means of assessing the health of natural ecosystems and field trips will surely retain their appeal.
