HOW TO GET A BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF MIGRATION IN FORT ERIE

NATURE CLUB OFFERS TIPS FOR BIRDING

Bird migration is in full swing in Niagara Region.

For those looking to get out and enjoy nature by birding, now is a great time to do so, according to Lynda Goodman, former president of the Bert Miller Nature Club in Fort Erie.

"This is a wonderful time of year for birding, for anybody who's interested in birds. We get birds coming though that you only see this time of year," she said.

For those looking to start bird watching in their community, Goodman has some tips.

START SMALL

She suggests starting small by looking at what is in one's own backyard or in a nearby wooded area if there isn't a backyard available.

To help get children involved, create matching games where they match similar types of birds or match a bird to the name of the bird.

"Start with the birds we see commonly if you're just getting into birding. Things like robins, and blue jays, and cardinals that we know we can see just to keep the interest," said Goodman. "Once we get somebody interested in that then they want to go beyond."

For those looking to go beyond with slightly more of a challenge, Goodman suggests looking for warblers. They're a group of small, very colourful birds that usually perch high in trees. They migrate through the region in the spring before travelling north to the boreal forests to nest.

GEAR UP

Finding birds in the area is just a first step to enjoying the migration. New birders may also want to be able to identify them to help make the experience even more interactive.

A good bird guide will help by including photographs and sometimes small pieces of information about the birds in the region. Those not ready to invest in a full guide just yet, can make one at home by searching what birds live in an area and printing out a small booklet, including those photos.

Another helpful tool to help during a search is a good pair of binoculars. These allow people to see more of birds in trees or further away, it's helpful in identifying small details that could point to the variety of bird.

PARTNER UP

For those who aren't sure that they want to try out birding all on their own, Goodman recommends reaching out to nearby groups about mentors. She says the Bert Miller Nature Club has many birders who would be excited to help someone get involved in the outdoors. "We have a lot of people who are mentors for birding who would be happy to take a group out or take somebody out, if you're interested."

For those who don't want a mentor, they can still benefit from the work that the club does throughout the year to help birders and birds in Fort Erie.

"The Bert Miller Nature Club is actually spearheading an initiative to make Fort Erie a bird friendly city. And that's something that's handled through Nature Canada," said Goodman.

Requirements of the certification include involving the greater community in admiring and monitoring birds in their area and creating legislation that helps bird populations.

Those interested in connecting with a mentor from the Bert Miller Nature Club can reach the group on its website, bertmillernatureclub.org.