(From left) Haley Rodgers, Rod Peterson and Chloe Tremper of the Feminist Bird Club (Photo by Jay Paul)
Despite having a city full of entertainment options, you may still find yourself asking, “What should I do this weekend?”
The answer according to local ornithology groups? Birding.
“It helps people get out, especially young people,” says Bill Williams, president of the Virginia Society of Ornithology. “There’s [also] a lot of retirees who take it up because they’re curious about it but didn’t have the time before.”
To get started, Williams recommends finding a community birding group or talking with local master naturalist groups (virginiamasternaturalist.org) to learn about different events or connect with other bird-watchers. Various organizations host bird walks throughout the year.
For most hobbies, you have to invest in specialized tools, but that’s not the case when it comes to birding. “That’s the great thing about [it], you don’t need anything besides your eyes or ears,” says Chloe Tremper, founder of the Richmond chapter of Feminist Bird Club.
There are some useful tools to augment the senses. “Binoculars, scopes and cameras are useful tools for identifying birds, since they make it possible to zoom in on the bird from far away, but you don’t need them to bird,” she says. “There are some wonderful field guides available in both book and app form to help you identify birds as well. Most of the local libraries have field guides you can check out, and some even have birding backpacks with binoculars and a free state park pass.”
For local bird-watching, Tremper suggests visiting Pony Pasture and Fountain Lake in Byrd Park. Birds can be spotted across the urban landscape. A peregrine falcon pair nests on the Riverfront Plaza building downtown, two bald eagles have built a huge nest in the electric transmission towers downstream of the Manchester Bridge, and ospreys nest downtown on old bridge pillars along the James River. Williams recommends taking a trip to Henricus Historical Park in Chesterfield County to observe its diverse bird population.
“Once you realize how many species of bird are around you, they become hard to ignore,” Tremper says.
Birding for Beginners
Code of Ethics: Be a good egg and follow American Birding Association’s rules of bird-watching.
Field Guide: Take a guidebook or use an app like Merlin to help you identify birds and their songs.
Notebook: Avid bird-watchers record their sightings in a small notebook or use the eBird app.
Binoculars: While not required, binoculars or scopes will help you get a closer look.
