My First Birding Trip 2001 down to Bolivar, Texas with the Audubon Group
I was really nervous about going on this trip, because not only had I never really studied any shore birds, this trip was my first bird-watching trip and I was sure that I was going to be the only person who was just beginning to learn about birds. As it turnes out, most of the people were very educated in the bird world - but there were still a couple of "newbies" like myself.On the ferry ride to Bolivar we were greeted by a few dolphins, two of which were a mother with her calf close by her side. I remember my Mother saying that being flanked by dolphins on the way out on a boat-trip was a sign of eminate good luck. At the dock were a large number of Laughing Gulls, White Pelicans, a few brown ones, and a few cormorants.
We met at the Audubon Sanctuary on the Bolivar Flats. Gordy and I were 30 minutes late and the group had already assembled out closer to the birds. A wide variety of binoculars, spotting scopes, cameras, and of course, field guides were all in hand and they were excitedly talking to each other about the multitudes of birds that stretched out before us, the birds being absorbed in whatever various tasks that shore birds must do.
I had to laugh thinking about the few times I had come across bird watchers while camping. Odd groups of people, huddled close, with their binoculars and scopes, peering at some bird, somewhere off in the distance - now here I was, one of them (almost) and I couldn't have been happier about it. They were all welcoming, very informative, (the people that is) and the best group I had been around in a long time.
Back to the bird part of this:
A photographer at the ferry dock (not with our group) approached me and said that there was a Black-legged Kittiwake on one of the pilings to my right. I didn't have a clue what he was talking about and sheepishly repeated his statement to one of the leaders of our group.
"He said that he spotted a Black-legged Kitty-something on the pilings over there." - no one heard me, thank goodness I thought.
The photographer recognized my look of un-knowingness and moved toward the leaders, repeating himself with an air of authority. It created a little stir as everyone repositioned themselves to try and get a glimpse of the bird on the piling. I could see the bird they were talking about, and slowly the field identification marks they spoke of became more apparent. In a moment the bird transformed itself from a typical seagull into a marvelous bird of mystery and beauty. The bird took to the air, flying toward us, and banked in a large arc before us, as if it knew that this small group of people were watching. He showed his back to us so that we could finalize the identification process and quickly flew off to join the rest of the gulls who were greeting an approaching ferry.
The group applauded. I actually got goose bumps. Does this make me an official bird-watcher now?
I had a wonderful time as we all caravanned from the Bolivar Flats, up to High Island, stopping at multiple birding-places along the way. Each place presented the secret treasures it had to offer our collective searching eyes.
I would like to say thank you to John and Damien, and all the rest of the kind folks, whom I shamefully neglected to get names from. I had a wonderful first birding excursion and look forward whole-heartedly to the next.
My favorite bird-watcher, Gordy -->
