Where to Find the Birds for Beginners

        The plan of Nature seems to be that there should be birds everywhere. They are like a well organized police force. There are a sufficient number of them on duty wherever needed, to guard every green thing that grows, from attacks of insects, to prevent self-assertive plants, which we call weeds, from multiplying unduly, and in general to help preserve the balance of Nature. Hence, when things are normal, there should be no tree or plant that grows without bird guardians. Each species of bird knows its own province and confines itself pretty closely to it, though some, occasionally take a holiday to investigate different territories.

1. Birds to be found at our very back door: Sparrows: English, Chipping and Tree Sparrows and Robins
2. Birds to be found in the fields: Sparrows: Field, Vesper, and Grasshopper
3. Birds to be found in the evergreens: Crackles or Black Birds, Baltimore Orioles, Vireos, Warblers, Kinglets,
4. Birds to be found in bird houses: Wrens and Bluebirds
5. Birds to be found in chimneys and buildings: Swallows, Swifts (Chimney), Phoebes
6. Birds to be found in orchards: Blue Jays Kingbirds, Large Fly Catchers, Crows,
7. Birds to be found in dead trees: Woodpeckers: Redhead, Flicker, Downy and Hairy
8. Birds to be found in meadows or grassy fields: Meadow-larks, Boblinks, Song sparrows, Cow Birds, Indigo bunting, Brown thrasher,
9. Birds to found in cedars: Purple Finches and Yellow-breasted Chat
10. Birds to be found in swamps or thick places: Catbirds, Red-winged blackbirds, Kingbirds, Rose-breasted grosbeak, Water birds
11. Birds to be found in woodlands: Thrushes: Wood, Wilson, Olive-backed, Red-eyed vireos, Oven birds, Hawks, Owls, Ruffed grouse, Whip-poor-wills, Sapsuckers,
12. Birds to be found along seashores: Black-bellied Plover, Black Oystercatcher, Turnstone, Dunlin, Least Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Long-billed Dowitchers, Sanderlings, Sandpipers

        Thus one might go on throwing out hints to help identify every bird, but enough of the more numerous and conspicuous ones have been mentioned to give the beginner a pretty good idea of the kind of birds to be found in various localities. Birds do not bother themselves about our convenience, so will not, probably, show themselves at first glance. It is best to settle down quietly in a fixed position and wait patiently to see them appear. An enthusiastic bird watcher will go into the woodland, swamp, thicket, field or garden to spy out their favorite varieties with binoculars and a handy journal whenever they can get away from crowded cities. Although, there are also many birds that dwell comfortably among people in cities as well.

Tips and Tricks for Birding Beginners with Sheridan Alford

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