FAYETTEVILLE — As those accompanying them brought out their binoculars, a pair of librarians from the Fayetteville Free Library led a birdwatching walk in Green Lakes State Park the morning of March 27. The hike started at the park’s Environmental Education Center and went around to the other si de of the lake and back, with pit stops at spots like the wooden walkway by the beach. The guides that sunny morning were the library’s marketing and outreach specialist Chris Winter and library clerk Rebecca Rolnick, two birding enthusiasts who encouraged everyone to call out to the group when they heard or saw a bird that piqued their interest. Winter said that even though it was chilly and a bit quiet at points, it was a perfect kind of day to see some early signs of spring migration locally. He told the event attendees to keep their eyes up to the sky, but not so much that they wouldn’t be watching where they were going. The group spotted Canada geese, a mallard on the water, a double-crested cormorant reminiscent of a loon on the lake, a red-bellied woodpecker perched at the top of a tree, and a red-tailed hawk that popped out over the treeline and circled above the parking lot, soaring ever higher. Though mostly only heard from the bushes, the walkers also checked off song sparrows, with their cone-shaped bills and white-colored chests containing a dark brown spot in the middle. Rolnick said she uses mnemonic devices that mimic the sounds of bird calls, like “cheese/burger” in the case of a chickadee. “A really good way to get better at recognizing bird songs, even if it feels silly, is to try to imitate them and repeat them aloud,” she said. “When you’re new to birding it’s like a bunch of sounds blending together, but you can start to pick out individual, unique sounds and songs.” She also said that you can think about how you would describe the sound and write down what you detect about it on paper, sort of in the vein of musical notation with rhythms or changes in pitch even if it’s not exact. Rolnick said that it takes some practice to match up the call and the visual for a bird, especially from a distance, but that writing down observations and comparisons with other species over time and then looking back at one’s field guide is useful. She said you can pinpoint identifying characteristics like how the bird’s wings flap and flutter, the overall patterns of movement and flight, and the bird’s size and shape in addition to their colors. She said that birds will often just fly away, so when there are some sitting still, it’s an opportunity to “really slow down and note what you notice.” During the walk, Winter and Rolnick shared fun facts separate from the day’s sightings. While speaking about their habits and living preferences, Winter mentioned that turkey vultures enjoy having space to themselves more so than black vultures, which tend to be seen in bigger groups. He also shared that while the males and females of certain bird species migrate together, male red-winged blackbirds leave first to scope out a new spot in advance before the females arrive. One walker added that hummingbirds do the same. Rolnick told about the importance birds place on grooming their feathers, particularly waterfowl because having their Velcro-like feathers nice and neat is part of their waterproofing. She also brought up that starlings were released in New York City way back when by a man who wanted all the birds represented in the works of Shakespeare to be living in Central Park. The 100 or so he let loose on purpose turned into millions of starlings across the continent, she said. At the conclusion of the walk, the members of the group reflected on their takeaways from the experience. One woman said her highlight was the “lovely time” spent in the sun in the local park, and another attendee said the walk made her want to pay attention to her surroundings more and look out for different kinds of birds. One man said the event took him completely out of his usual routine and made him feel present in the moment, while someone else said how nature can be very calming and something to appreciate every day. Winter said the monthly birdwatching walk program started by the Fayetteville Free Library last year has gotten birding newcomers more interested in jumping into the recreational activity. He said the walks encourage environmental consciousness and are informative but that “if the only thing you get out of them is a mile walk, that’s good too.” Rolnick, who has been birding since 2010, said the walks provide fresh air, exercise and connection to nature, all of which is helpful to a person’s well-being. “With birding you can always learn something new and learn more,” she said. “The other thing about birding is it’s something anybody can do. Anybody can get joy and curiosity from watching and listening to birds, even if it’s just looking out your window.” Winter said he became more intrigued by birds after setting up a bird feeder in his yard. Now walking around the local area and searching for new birds is something he does a few days a week at the least. “When there’s a lot going on in the world, it’s a nice way to get away from all of it for a little bit,” he said. This month on April 10, the library birdwatching group met at the pull-off spot for the Andrews Road feeder canal in DeWitt close to the Community Library of DeWitt Jamesville. In May, the library is also holding a birdwatching walk for adults with disabilities as well as another one at Green Lakes State Park. ...read more read less