ADVENTURES IN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT: SPRING BREEDING BIRD CENSUS

by Kameron Bain, Business Development, Plateau Land & Wildlife Management

Hard to believe it's been a year since I began my Adventures in Wildlife Management. Throughout the past year I've had the opportunity to get dirty and scratched up from brush management work, witness the passion and dedication of one family to preserve their land for future generations, and take a long walk through the country side braving wasps and other Texas creatures to check nest boxes. When reflecting on these adventures, I'm not only genuinely happy that I actually participated in them -- and survived -- but I continue to be profoundly impressed by the commitment of my Plateau team and our Texas landowners.

There is one adventure from 2010, however, that I did not get the chance to share yet, and it happens to be one of my favorites, Plateau's Spring Breeding Bird Surveys. First, I must admit something, and I hope I don't offend any of the birders out there but, before joining Plateau, I was never really interested in birds. In fact, I was totally clueless that birdwatching was considered a real and, for many, passionate pastime until I moved to Texas. In the early days of my Plateau career, I was intrigued by the fact that the spring survey is one of the most popular services we offer. The more excited the Plateau birders and our clients became at the start of each spring bird season, the greater the intrigue. I began to learn some facts that truly piqued my interest, including the fact that Texas has the largest migration of birds during the springtime in the United States and that expert birders can identify birds not only by sight, but by sound as well.

While I now understood the excitement associated with our bird surveys, I was still living vicariously, perched in the office, listening to biologists discussing the surveys instead of listening to the birds. Time for an adventure! And who better than Plateau's very own bird expert and ornithological guru, Mark Gray, for my mentor and partner on my first bird survey? With a passion, vast knowledge of all things avian, and a slightly competitive spirit, Mark is an ideal birding partner.

If the early bird catches the worm, then you better get up early if you really want to take in the full birding experience. Mark and I headed out with the sunrise to a beautiful property along the Pedernales River. The ride out there was an adventure all in its own. Winding roads turned and twisted and took us over the river to our final destination.

Upon arrival to our first survey point, I quietly exited the car and tiptoed over to Mark. I did not want to be responsible for scaring the birds away. Apparently my super sly skills paid off because the first bird we heard was the Golden-cheeked Warbler.

My efforts to stand very still, make no movements, and hold every breath may have been a bit overdramatic as Mark, the expert was relaxed and behaved normally. But we did stand quietly with rapt attention as Mark listened and pointed out all the birds we heard. I was truly amazed and impressed. How was he hearing all of this? How did he know which bird he was hearing? Luckily for me, Mark was happy to teach me. Each time we heard a bird Mark would break down the song for me. So the next time I heard that bird sing I could start to identify it by its various chirps, tweets and trills. And it is true, every bird has its' own song.

At the following survey points I loosened up and took in the whole experience. With the direction from Mark I became more familiar in identifying birds and their songs, and I began to understand why people enjoy bird watching -- it's the challenge to identify the birds and the thrill when you hear a new one to add to your list. But there was also more to take in than just the birds, the morning was also a great opportunity to talk about plants, other animals, and ways to improve the habitat on the property.

The memory of the beautiful cool spring morning in the Hill Country listening to the birds will be a lasting one. Not only was I able to get a complete education on the Plateau Spring Breeding Bird survey, but I expanded my horizons and learned that something I once thought to be dull or boring was actually exciting and challenging. I am already looking for another great birding adventure! Thank you to Mark for sharing his passion for birding with me.

Until my next adventure, this one is for the birds!

Birdwatching offers the exciting challenge of identifying birds and the thrill when you are able to add a new one to your list. Photo by Lee Kothmann.