Beginner’s Misfortune

Being a beginner at anything can be tough. Being a beginning birder has its own unique set of potential embarassments, pitfalls, and outrageous flubs. Something reminded me today of my trip to Tawas for the Kirtland’s Warbler Festival earlier this year in the late spring. That was actually one of my first real experiences with birding, and I didn’t even know where to begin.
On that first day, I had the misfortune of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Wandering around near the resort where the festival was held, I heard someone whistling to me. It was an older park ranger who appeared to be on duty walking down the lakefront. I came over and he asked me if I was one of the birders for the festival, and I tentatively said “yes.”
He then pointed at a small flock of birds pecking on the ground a few yards away. He wondered if I, in my birding expertise, could help him identify the species, because he had never seen them before. A very awkward exchange followed in which I, trying not to sound completely stupid and clueless, tried to search my brain for any bird names I could think of. He began listing some of their features that he could see from observation, and it quickly became apparent to me that this man knew far more about birds than I did. Feebly I tried explaining that I was very new to birding, and didn’t really know what kind of birds they were. Even now, the most I could tell you is they were kinda small birds who were on the ground, maybe darkish colored.
It wasn’t the most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to me, but I did feel quite foolish, and more than a little out of place. I’m still learning.

Posted by the novice on 12/29 at 03:49 PM