Birding 101 introduces newbies to a popular hobby

The words “Parrots! Parrots!” were the first exclamation I heard just before 8 a.m. Saturday as a woman pointed excitedly to a group of nearby palm trees.

The words left no doubt in my mind as to what the focus of the day would be, as I sat waiting to play my part in the Birding 101 Field Trip of the 17th annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival.

In the van outside Municipal Auditorium in Harlingen, this true blue birding newbie did not know what adventures awaited her in the world of bird watching, save the silly exaggerations of it she had seen in pop culture.

But, those exaggerations were challenged as a group of about 20 or so people of different ages, 20s through 80s at least, set off to explore the Rio Hondo area and the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.

Almost two decades have passed since the festival was established, partly with the aim to help Harlingen become an ecotourism destination. The 2010 festival, a four-day event, winds up today.

The festival organizers claim the event brings millions of dollars to the area every year and people from all around the world come to participate.

The people in my van came from Florida, Louisiana, San Antonio — by way of India 40 years ago — and Rio Hondo.

Shirley Walsh was celebrating her 80th birthday a little early with the Birding Festival as her birthday present, her daughter, Susan Skains, said.

A self-proclaimed outdoors lover, Walsh said it’s the beauty of the creatures she watches that attract her as a birder.

“Seeing all the different birds, that’s what keeps a birder going,” Walsh said at lunch Saturday.

Earlier in the day my first real birder experience was watching the graceful flight of a lovely white-tailed hawk to the soundtrack of birder “ooohs” and “ahhhs.” Group leader Jon Dunn called the bird a “Texas coastal specialty.”

Dunn is the author of several birding books. He has a co-author credit on the most recent edition of the “National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America.”

Throughout the field trip Dunn offered tips with a hint of tongue-in-cheek humor. “Get more familiar with your binoculars than you are with your children. They’re certainly more important,” he said. And, “You don’t want to be discouraged to use your scope because your tripod is too freaking heavy.”

The group of three Birding 101 vans made its way to the wildlife refuge, all the while seeing mourning doves, mockingbirds, sandhill cranes, white-tailed kites, Cuban meadowlarks and other species.

At the refuge, field leaders shared their tips and thoughts in a group setting after more exploring.

Sights were set on two of the most noticeable birds near the visitor center: the green jay — with vibrant blue, green and yellow feathers with a touch of white on its face — and the oriole altamira, a gorgeous fiery-orange creature.

Field leader Kim Eckert, also an author of birding books including “A Birder’s Guide to Minnesota,” said there is no personality type that is attracted to birding.

“There are 19 different people here and if you asked them what attracted them to birding you’d get 19 different answers,” Eckert said.

Brad McKinney, a Valley area birder, led a presentation for all the newbies filled with tips and photos.

“(Birding) can take you anywhere you want to go. From a hobby to a real professional endeavor and passion,” McKinney said.

Perhaps I won’t be forsaking my journalism career to become a master at birding. But, undoubtedly after this nature field trip, I will look to the skies — especially the ones in deep South Texas — even more frequently to appreciate the beauty of the heavenly creatures that inhabit them.

I know I caught myself doing just that at least once on the way home already.