Go birdwatching during migration

Birdwatching is one of the gentlest things you can do in fall. You sit somewhere quiet, with a hot drink, and the birds come to you. In fall, millions of birds are on the move south, and parks and lakeshores that are quiet in summer fill up with visitors for a few weeks.

Why fall is good

Many birds migrate in fall, travelling south to warmer winters. Along the way, they stop to rest and feed, often in the same kinds of places: parks with big trees, lakeshores, marshes, river edges and wooded patches. Fall migration runs for months, from late summer into November in much of North America, with different birds passing through at different times. That gives you many chances to see something new.

Migrating birds often arrive overnight, so the morning after a cool, clear night with a north wind can be especially busy. It’s a reliable tip, not a guarantee.

Pick a place

You don’t have to go far. A good spot has some or all of these:

• Water: a lakeshore, a pond, a marsh or a river
• Trees and shrubs, especially at the edge of open ground, where birds feed
• Quiet, with few people or dogs
• A place to sit, such as a bench, a log or a viewing platform

City parks, cemeteries with big trees, nature reserves and wetland trails are all good. Many nature centers and reserves have free maps and bird lists. Go when it’s quiet, so mornings on weekdays or early on weekends are best.

What to bring

The catalogue list has the main things: binoculars if you have them, a free bird ID app like Merlin, and a quiet morning. Add:

• A warm layer and a hat. You’ll be sitting still, and mornings are cold.
• Neutral clothes, in greens, browns or greys. Bright colours can make birds nervous.
• A thermos. Something hot makes waiting more pleasant.
• A small notebook, to write down what you see.
• A bag or cushion to sit on.

You don’t have to buy binoculars. Some libraries, nature centers and bird clubs lend them. If you buy, a basic pair is enough.

How to watch

1. Arrive early. Be there around sunrise, when the birds are busy.
2. Pick a spot and sit. Walk slowly, stop often, and let the birds come into view. Sitting still works better than chasing.
3. Use your ears first. You’ll hear birds before you see them. Stop talking and listen. Merlin can listen to a song and suggest a bird, too.
4. Look for movement. Watch for tiny flicks in the leaves, a branch that bounces, or a shape against the sky.
5. Find the bird, then raise the binoculars. Keep your eyes on it, and bring the binoculars up to your eyes without looking away.
6. Note what you see. Size, colour, beak shape, behaviour, any bars or patches. This is how you identify it.
7. Check your ID with an app or a field guide, once the bird has gone.

You can log what you see on a free site such as eBird, which also shows what others have seen nearby. It’s optional, but it’s fun to see your list grow.

How to identify a bird

Don’t worry about knowing names. Start by noticing:

• Size and shape: as big as a sparrow, a robin or a crow?
• Colour and patterns: a wing bar, a stripe over the eye, a yellow rump.
• Beak: thin, thick, hooked or long.
• Behaviour: does it hop, climb a tree trunk, hover or wade?
• Where it is: on the ground, in a bush, on the water.

Many fall birds are less colourful than in spring, because they’ve shed their bright breeding feathers, and young birds look different from adults. That makes identification tricky for everyone, so don’t be discouraged. An app can help, and it’s fine to say “I don’t know”.

Be kind to the birds

• Keep your distance and don’t chase.
• Don’t play recorded bird calls to attract birds. It distracts them from feeding and resting during a hard journey.
• Stay on paths, and keep away from nests and roosts.
• Keep dogs leashed or at home.
• Keep your voice low.

If something goes wrong

• You don’t see anything. It happens. Birds are often busy at certain hours. Stay a little longer, move to a different spot, or go again at a different time.
• Everything is a brown blur. Slow down. Watch one bird for longer, instead of jumping to the next.
• You can’t tell what it was. Note what you remember, and look it up later.
• It’s cold. Dress warmer next time, and walk a little to warm up.
• Ticks and insects. Check yourself after walking in grass or brush.

Make it a fall morning

Set the alarm, fill a thermos, and sit near water. Stay an hour, not ten minutes, because things get interesting once you’ve sat still for a while. A morning like this fits well with an arboretum visit, where there are big trees and paths, or a quiet picnic lunch afterwards.