Arlene Sopranzetti wrote:

> If I go
> "birding" with my husband, he hikes briskly on the paths and
> only stops when a bird displays himself or chatters loudly from
> a bush (Bewick's Wren). If I go by myself, I enjoy walking
> quietly through the woods listening for a bird call that I
> can't identify.

The general rule, I think, is that the slower you go, the more you see.
This year, we're teaching a large group of students about natural history
and having them engage in an exercise called "Don't just do something,
sit there." They're asked to just find a comfortable spot in the woods,
relax, do some deep breathing exercises, and not move for an hour so,
while paying attention to their environment and letting the animals come
to them. Of course, you don't see something wonderful every time, but
this exercise gives you the potential for birds and other animals to come
very close, so they can be observed intimately. Even if you don't want
to sit in one place for a long time, going slowly and being very quiet
will certainly yield the best results. I've had some of my finest
birding experiences by standing in one spot and just letting the birds
come along. Of course, there are times when you'll want to walk briskly
through a large area, especially to observe water birds, because time is
limited and you want to see as much as possible. But, on the whole, I
think slow is best.

Burt Guttman guttmanb at elwha.evergreen.edu
The Evergreen State College Voice: 360-866-6000, x. 6755
Olympia, WA 98505 FAX: 360-866-6794