Congrats on your W! There are teachers who follow the live cams on explore.org with young students to spark interest in the individual behaviors of animals and birds up close and personal, in their natural habitats. Your boys might get bored watching an incubating eagle, for instance, but they could check in on progress, learn by watching video excerpts of unique, thrilling, dramatic, and otherwise interesting behaviors of a variety of birds. When I was young, it was this initial indoor learning that led me outside. Right now there are a number of nesting bird cams, at least in the northern hemisphere. Just a thought. Wish I could have watched these when I was young, with someone knowledgeable to explain what I was seeing, and remark on the different personalities of individual birds.
Oh great idea! We have a nest cam downtown where my wife works of Peregrine Falcons. They come back every year and usually have a successful brood. I never thought to show them, but now I will. Thanks for the tips and for reading!!
You never know what effects you’ll have on your kids until much later in life. They’ll be birders yet!
By the way, I recognize that power plant—I grew up in Lansing, moved away and moved back and then moved away again to the Detroit area. I think that structure is going to be demolished one of these days, I read. It’s a landmark!
That's my hope! I dream of going out on birdwalks with them, seeing them get excited about the beautiful creatures all around us.
It really is a landmark. I get that power plants have expiration dates, but it's kind of a shame to lose this one, not just because of the falcons. Maybe repurposing it is too expensive.
Woodcocks are a gateway bird… get a kid into them and next thing you know, they’re skipping class to chase a gull that looks slightly different from all the other gulls.
But seriously, I’m so glad to hear you had some success! It’s hard enough to get kids into anything, let alone something like birding, but I think you’re going about it the right way. That rough first walk not even registering in their memory is honestly a win.
The woodcocks definitely delivered! They clearly understood the stakes and rose to the occasion. Very reliable bird. Unlike certain others I won’t name here. Wishing you continued luck in turning your boys into full-blown bird nerds!
It's going to be tough to find a bird that can match the charisma of a Woodcock. I don't want to say I'm rooting for another hurricane, but American Flamingo might do the trick. Gotta be something flashy. If a Wood Stork could do me a solid and show up in our ponds, that might capture their fancy idk. Painted Bunting?
I can relate so much. I have two girls (now 6 and 9). They are cautiously fascinated with what I do and want to join me birding from time to time. But mostly, about 100 other things are more interesting whenever it's time to leave. But I'll keep trying! I'll have to get some kid-friendly binoculars for them--and try the ice cream trick.
Great work cultivating birding's future! Those Peterson Guides will be cherished for years to come.
Peregrine Falcon is a thrilling bird to light the birding fire with, and your "miserable failure of a first birdwalk" was a realistic taste of the birding disappointment nobody can escape now and then.
Seconded on ticks. Keep your eyes peeled for Lone Star Ticks too. White spot on the back. They're expanding their range. A bite from one of those and you'll become allergic to meat.
ah you got their interest.. bravo. I bought my nephew decent eagle optics bins and led him to ta pond in Prospect Park near their apartment. He was wowed.. so many warblers in one place. He has taken them to Costa Rica, Iceland, and Montawk. he gets around.. My youngest son (53) lives on top of a long long road in Santa Cruz and LOVES birds. Lives for birds. Still quotes "are you my mother".. KEEP taking them. it will stick. bribery is a good thing.. Stars on a spiral leading to a gift of choice for each bird seen. a price limit of course.. I fended off cavities that way
Way to go! That’s awesome that they enjoyed the woodcock walk. I don’t have any kids but I once convinced my husband and brother-in-law to go see the woodcocks with me. Unfortunately I forgot to tell them that it would be too dark to see them and all we’d be able to do was hear them 🫠 They were bored out of their minds but I had a delightful time! And 100% to checking for ticks—so glad you caught that deer tick before it bit you, Nate!
😂! Waiting for the Woodcocks to start up always seems like an eternity. You start thinking “I guess they’re not here”. Then there’s the first tentative peeent, and you think you imagined it. It’s so great that your kids enjoyed the experience!
Can't go wrong with the Peterson Field Guide to Birds for a gift! Haha, I remember that game Duck Hunt on the Nintendo with the pistol. Great to hear the Peregrines were a hit for the future birders. Peregrines definitely have that look of seriousness and when you tell people the stats, it just ups the falcon to Legend status.
Great story. I love that the woodcock helped them appreciate birding. Post-birding ice cream is always a good call, LOL!
I started my nephew with a bird feeder at about 2. He loves filling it and watching the birds. I think the next gift is a feeder that has a camera so he can identify the birds. When he comes to visit me next month, we will fill the hummingbird feeders and put out sugar for the bananaquits. We will see how it goes.
I took my older niece and nephew to Montezuma WLR. They seemed to enjoy it.
I very much approve of starting them on RTP. So they can learn essential vocabulary such as “see see see Miss Beecher,” and “chip chuppety swee ditchety.”
Kek, I remember the mnemonics...but forget which birb they're attached to. I've been looking for my childhood RTP copy (1980?) for just this reason: WHO THE HECK IS IT WHO SAYS "CHIP CHUPPETY SWEE DITCHETY?????"
Doesn't help that I've lived 3000 miles from my ancestral birb pool (SE PA/NJ pine barrens) for 30 years now...so can't go outside and just look/listen.
Of course we have perfectly wondrous birbs here too. :^> Including the "tiny tin horn" birds (as RTP called them)--nuthatches, in our case red-breasteds--and "who cooks for YOU, who cooks for YOU ALL"--barred owls. But the latter prefer call-and-response games with their hooman frens, of which I am pleased to report being one. And since so many people talk to the corvids here in my neck of the rainforest (yay!), they do things like laugh in human voices and say words of human.
I’ve been birding since I was 7 and my kids are all in their 20s and 30s - definitely interested in beautiful outdoor places but not so much in birds. Until now. My middle son has gotten interested in birds through the Merlin bird app, not through me, and using eBird to color in those states on his map! He’s also interested in photography so that helps as well.
I REALLY thought the eBird map would catch their fancy. It's so satisfying to watch that fill in. But they haven't been on eBird in years. Maybe time to revisit their accounts.
So happy for you that interest in birds is rising among your progeny! Re: the photography--that makes sense. Such a challenge to photograph birds, and so rewarding.
Hahaha yes. There was nothing like it at the time, at least for a home arcade! I watched a playthrough of the game on YouTube yesterday, and those sounds are embedded in my soul.
Thank you for taking our boys out on these birding adventures. Even if it doesn't end in them compulsively checking the Rare Bird Alert with as adults, it will give them memories of going on wacky adventures with their dad about something you're passionate about. Passion about the things we do, that's something I think we're passing down to them, and that's been vital for both of us to find happiness individually and as a family.
This post had me giggling more than once. I love how you try to get your kids motivated for birding! Sometimes a little coercion or force is justified, obviously. It might take a few years, but eventually birding seems to creep up on a lot of people. They’ll have a head start!
Thank you Aria!! All I wanna do is make people laugh and smile :)
I'm playing the long game here for real. Hell, it took me 44 years to get truly obsessed. Just hope I live long enough to see my boys to get into it lol
They’ll get there! It took me 36 years to get where I am today with my love for nature and birds, but here we are, kicking it when the grey hairs start to grow. Better late than never, right?
Congrats on your W! There are teachers who follow the live cams on explore.org with young students to spark interest in the individual behaviors of animals and birds up close and personal, in their natural habitats. Your boys might get bored watching an incubating eagle, for instance, but they could check in on progress, learn by watching video excerpts of unique, thrilling, dramatic, and otherwise interesting behaviors of a variety of birds. When I was young, it was this initial indoor learning that led me outside. Right now there are a number of nesting bird cams, at least in the northern hemisphere. Just a thought. Wish I could have watched these when I was young, with someone knowledgeable to explain what I was seeing, and remark on the different personalities of individual birds.
Oh great idea! We have a nest cam downtown where my wife works of Peregrine Falcons. They come back every year and usually have a successful brood. I never thought to show them, but now I will. Thanks for the tips and for reading!!
I hope you pronounce caramel better than you pronounce parula!
Bahahaha 💀
You never know what effects you’ll have on your kids until much later in life. They’ll be birders yet!
By the way, I recognize that power plant—I grew up in Lansing, moved away and moved back and then moved away again to the Detroit area. I think that structure is going to be demolished one of these days, I read. It’s a landmark!
That's my hope! I dream of going out on birdwalks with them, seeing them get excited about the beautiful creatures all around us.
It really is a landmark. I get that power plants have expiration dates, but it's kind of a shame to lose this one, not just because of the falcons. Maybe repurposing it is too expensive.
Happy Saturday in Detroit!
Woodcocks are a gateway bird… get a kid into them and next thing you know, they’re skipping class to chase a gull that looks slightly different from all the other gulls.
But seriously, I’m so glad to hear you had some success! It’s hard enough to get kids into anything, let alone something like birding, but I think you’re going about it the right way. That rough first walk not even registering in their memory is honestly a win.
The woodcocks definitely delivered! They clearly understood the stakes and rose to the occasion. Very reliable bird. Unlike certain others I won’t name here. Wishing you continued luck in turning your boys into full-blown bird nerds!
It's going to be tough to find a bird that can match the charisma of a Woodcock. I don't want to say I'm rooting for another hurricane, but American Flamingo might do the trick. Gotta be something flashy. If a Wood Stork could do me a solid and show up in our ponds, that might capture their fancy idk. Painted Bunting?
I can relate so much. I have two girls (now 6 and 9). They are cautiously fascinated with what I do and want to join me birding from time to time. But mostly, about 100 other things are more interesting whenever it's time to leave. But I'll keep trying! I'll have to get some kid-friendly binoculars for them--and try the ice cream trick.
We can do this, Maja! Little victories gonna add up to a new generation of world-class birders. Let's goooo! As much ice cream as it takes.
The next generation is essential to the birding community. Without Gen Z and Alpha, birding is dead!
Exactly! And more birders is good for birds.
Yes! Here's my formula for more birds:
Birding + Gen Z = More birds.
I reckon that makes more sense than Trumps tariff formula!😅
Well, that’s a low bar hahahaha
Great work cultivating birding's future! Those Peterson Guides will be cherished for years to come.
Peregrine Falcon is a thrilling bird to light the birding fire with, and your "miserable failure of a first birdwalk" was a realistic taste of the birding disappointment nobody can escape now and then.
Seconded on ticks. Keep your eyes peeled for Lone Star Ticks too. White spot on the back. They're expanding their range. A bite from one of those and you'll become allergic to meat.
I will definitely look out for them! I should cut down on my meat consumption, but I hate to think I could never eat a burger again.
Yeah, I really hope they come to cherish not only their own field guides but also the ones they’ll inherit from their great-grandparents.
Thanks for reading, James!!
ah you got their interest.. bravo. I bought my nephew decent eagle optics bins and led him to ta pond in Prospect Park near their apartment. He was wowed.. so many warblers in one place. He has taken them to Costa Rica, Iceland, and Montawk. he gets around.. My youngest son (53) lives on top of a long long road in Santa Cruz and LOVES birds. Lives for birds. Still quotes "are you my mother".. KEEP taking them. it will stick. bribery is a good thing.. Stars on a spiral leading to a gift of choice for each bird seen. a price limit of course.. I fended off cavities that way
Nate. My torn Achilles tendon is not progressing enough to venture out. PT starting and hopefully I will get back to normal soon. But again thank you.
Ohhhhh, I didn't know you had that injury! That's a really tough one. All the best of luck getting back to normal. Healing energy your way!
It was a side effect of an antibiotic. Luckily it didn’t go all the way through. Ty for the good wishes. ❤️
I’m so glad you’ve passed birding magic down to your family. Santa Cruz must be a spectacular birding spot. Like all of California.
I’ve been to Montauk, but Iceland and Costa Rica remain in my queue of dream birding destinations.
Thanks for reading, Nettie!!! Let me know if you want to go see that goose and we’ll make it happen.
Way to go! That’s awesome that they enjoyed the woodcock walk. I don’t have any kids but I once convinced my husband and brother-in-law to go see the woodcocks with me. Unfortunately I forgot to tell them that it would be too dark to see them and all we’d be able to do was hear them 🫠 They were bored out of their minds but I had a delightful time! And 100% to checking for ticks—so glad you caught that deer tick before it bit you, Nate!
Yes, “forgot to tell them.” I see you, Kelly, and I respect you. We birders have to do what it takes.
I’m honestly so relieved they enjoyed it. When the Woodcocks kept not showing up, I thought I was looking at a five, maybe ten-year setback.
😂! Waiting for the Woodcocks to start up always seems like an eternity. You start thinking “I guess they’re not here”. Then there’s the first tentative peeent, and you think you imagined it. It’s so great that your kids enjoyed the experience!
That is exactly how it goes hahahaha
Can't go wrong with the Peterson Field Guide to Birds for a gift! Haha, I remember that game Duck Hunt on the Nintendo with the pistol. Great to hear the Peregrines were a hit for the future birders. Peregrines definitely have that look of seriousness and when you tell people the stats, it just ups the falcon to Legend status.
Peterson Guide is top notch, IMO. Not overwhelming for beginners, plenty of detail for advanced birders. A real workhorse among field guides.
Peregrines are legendary. Great word for it. Awe inspiring. Thanks for reading, Neil :)
Great story. I love that the woodcock helped them appreciate birding. Post-birding ice cream is always a good call, LOL!
I started my nephew with a bird feeder at about 2. He loves filling it and watching the birds. I think the next gift is a feeder that has a camera so he can identify the birds. When he comes to visit me next month, we will fill the hummingbird feeders and put out sugar for the bananaquits. We will see how it goes.
I took my older niece and nephew to Montezuma WLR. They seemed to enjoy it.
Thank you, Jackie! Ice cream was a brilliant tactic by me, if I do say so myself, hahahaha
Camera feeders are fun. Still enjoying mine. I can imagine they’d be a great way to help your nephew level up as a birder.
What species of hummingbird do you get on the island?
We have 2 species here in Anguilla. The Green-throated Carib and the Antilles Crested Hummingbirds.
Just looked them up. Beautiful. I’m going to have to see those someday :)
My last 2 pieces are on a nesting crested hummingbird
!!! How did I miss that???
Indeed! Which feeder did you buy?
I have a FeatherSnap smart feeder. Works pretty well!
I very much approve of starting them on RTP. So they can learn essential vocabulary such as “see see see Miss Beecher,” and “chip chuppety swee ditchety.”
The problem with the mnemonics is that I always forget them. So not only do I forget the songs, but I also forget the ways of remembering the songs.
Kek, I remember the mnemonics...but forget which birb they're attached to. I've been looking for my childhood RTP copy (1980?) for just this reason: WHO THE HECK IS IT WHO SAYS "CHIP CHUPPETY SWEE DITCHETY?????"
Doesn't help that I've lived 3000 miles from my ancestral birb pool (SE PA/NJ pine barrens) for 30 years now...so can't go outside and just look/listen.
Of course we have perfectly wondrous birbs here too. :^> Including the "tiny tin horn" birds (as RTP called them)--nuthatches, in our case red-breasteds--and "who cooks for YOU, who cooks for YOU ALL"--barred owls. But the latter prefer call-and-response games with their hooman frens, of which I am pleased to report being one. And since so many people talk to the corvids here in my neck of the rainforest (yay!), they do things like laugh in human voices and say words of human.
Hahaha--need a new system to help store birdsong in my increasingly defective hardware.
I talk to my corvids too. They aren't imitating me yet though. They barely tolerate eye contact, but we're getting there.
I’ve been birding since I was 7 and my kids are all in their 20s and 30s - definitely interested in beautiful outdoor places but not so much in birds. Until now. My middle son has gotten interested in birds through the Merlin bird app, not through me, and using eBird to color in those states on his map! He’s also interested in photography so that helps as well.
I REALLY thought the eBird map would catch their fancy. It's so satisfying to watch that fill in. But they haven't been on eBird in years. Maybe time to revisit their accounts.
So happy for you that interest in birds is rising among your progeny! Re: the photography--that makes sense. Such a challenge to photograph birds, and so rewarding.
Maybe just go on a few short 'hikes', and let the birds fall where they may, so to speak. And you'd have to admit Duck Hunter was a pretty good game!
Hahaha yes. There was nothing like it at the time, at least for a home arcade! I watched a playthrough of the game on YouTube yesterday, and those sounds are embedded in my soul.
Thank you for taking our boys out on these birding adventures. Even if it doesn't end in them compulsively checking the Rare Bird Alert with as adults, it will give them memories of going on wacky adventures with their dad about something you're passionate about. Passion about the things we do, that's something I think we're passing down to them, and that's been vital for both of us to find happiness individually and as a family.
Yep, if nothing else they'll roll their eyes and remember when dad had to go running off because some bird or another had been seen around town hahaha
And they'll run off after their own dreams too!
This post had me giggling more than once. I love how you try to get your kids motivated for birding! Sometimes a little coercion or force is justified, obviously. It might take a few years, but eventually birding seems to creep up on a lot of people. They’ll have a head start!
😂👴🏻
Thank you Aria!! All I wanna do is make people laugh and smile :)
I'm playing the long game here for real. Hell, it took me 44 years to get truly obsessed. Just hope I live long enough to see my boys to get into it lol
They’ll get there! It took me 36 years to get where I am today with my love for nature and birds, but here we are, kicking it when the grey hairs start to grow. Better late than never, right?
I wish I'd gotten there when I started going gray instead of when I started going bald. I'd have extra 10 years of daily birding under my belt.
You’ll fit right in with the molting birds, though!