Stalking local fowl: Learning to bird watch at Gilsland Farm

Cardinals are red, crows are black, and gulls have a penchant for sandwich stealing.

Therein lies my bird-watching wisdom. Or lack thereof.

When I imagined birding, I pictured myself lounging on a park bench as a parade of local fowl (and perhaps some out-of-towners too, weird-looking ones) coasted to a gentle halt on a branch in my convenient viewing area. And then it'd sit while I gawked, maybe spinning around a few times so I could note the stripe on its head and the length of its tail.

When I'd had my fowl fill, I'd signal to the bird that he was free to go, and I'd appreciate it if he sent over that red-winged blackbird I saw loitering near the pond.

Of course, that slow-motion notion of birding I had wasn't altogether accurate. Sure, it can be a relaxed venture, with you and your binoculars taking in treetop inhabitants from the comfort of a bench or sideways log.

But your average bird walk? I'd say it's more akin to target shooting a lightning bolt.

Last Thursday I joined a dozen local bird watchers during the weekly bird walk at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth. And Tuesday I joined Derek Lovitch, co-owner of Freeport Wild Bird Supply, for some bird guiding at Evergreen Cemetery and Capisic Pond in Portland.

And I had trouble keeping up with the wildlife.

I might catch movement in a tree, but the moment I lifted my camera or tried to get a closer look in the binculars, it flapped its wings and bolted.

I tried not to take it personally.

But it gave me renewed appreciation for the winged friends in my own backyard. But when it comes to naming them, I can only make things up. There are a host of birds on my block unwittingly bearing names like "Old Blue Hair," "Red Belly" and "Frank."

And I did manage to snag a few photos.

Like Lovitch said, "Birding gives you such a good reason to go places."

Despite having lived in close proximity to Gilsland Farm and Evergreen Cemetery for years, the birding excursions marked my first trip to either.

If you're feeling the lure of the bird yourself, check out a local bird walk. They're inexpensive and a good way to sample the hobby and ask questions.

- Freeport Wild Bird Supply weekly bird walks, 8 a.m. Saturday; Free. All skill levels welcome. Meet at the Freeport store. Bring your own binoculars. Private guiding, tours and workshops are also available. See www.freeportwildbirdsupply.com for more info.

- Gilsland Farm weekly bird walks, 7 a.m. Thursdays; $8/$5 Maine Audubon members. All skill levels welcome. Meet in Nature Center parking lot. Bring your own binoculars and bird guide. Birding classes and trips are also offered through Maine Audubon. See
www.maineaudubon.org for more info.