...for discerning weeders April, 2012
LET’S GO BIRDING Part 1 Inside this issue:
Photos from the
2
Garden Coming Events
3
Victory Garden
4
Field Trip
6
A Walk on the
7
Wild Side Be Happy!
7
Book Review
8
We Need You!
8
Last Word
9
DON’T FORGET! You have to log your hours onto the VMS system!
by Linda Meyers
It’s Spring and you’ve always wanted to learn about bird watching. There are lots of benefits to this wonderful and rather inexpensive hobby. Besides just being great fun for the whole family, you will learn more about the natural beauty of our area, enjoy many spectacular creatures, and benefit from the fresh air and exercise. For us older folks these sensory workouts will also help to develop better visual and hearing acuity, and generally we will become much more observant than the average person. Florida has the 5th largest number of different bird species in the US. With practice and patience you will become a tuned-in and very appreciative nature watcher. The only equipment you will need to get started are binoculars and a field guide, and you can begin watching right in your own back yard! Good binoculars play an important role in the enjoyment of birding, last thing you want are headaches induced by blurred images, double vision and eye strain. A fairly good quality pair of binoculars can be purchased for around $100, you can always upgrade later as your experience grows. Make sure the magnification is at least 7-power, and the second number which is the diameter of the lens is 4 to 5 times larger than the power number - for example “7 X 35” or “8 X 40.” Choose a pair that are comfortable to carry and hold steady, you don’t want them to be too heavy. Other key things to look for are: make sure the barrels are flexible but don’t slip or fall, look for color-coating to reduce internal glare, make sure they “fit your face” comfortably and the eyepieces are aligned so the image is clear. If you wear eyeglasses or sunglasses your binoculars should have rubber eye cups that twist up and down or fold back, so that you can put your eyeglasses up close to the eyepiece. You will want to be able to focus on an object as close as 15 feet away, or as far as 2 blocks away with clarity and minimal image distortion. Now practice using your binoculars. Adjust each lens separately so they accommodate the differing strengths of your two eyes. Spend time developing hand-eye coordination by first spotting a bird with your naked eye and then lift the binoculars to your eyes without taking your eye off the bird. Practice by setting your binoculars to focus on an object about 30 feet away. Next look for birds at that average distance and follow them around a while, lowering and lifting your binoculars every so often. Practice focusing your binoculars in and out as you watch what the birds are doing. Before you know it you will be able to spot and focus like a pro. Continued on next page 1