A walk through Monterey is likely to feature the sounds of unidentifiable squawking. While some characterize it as such, a student club at Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) hears sweet songs from local wildlife. The Otter Birding Club gives students the opportunity to do the same by identifying and admiring the birds they hear daily.
Identifying birds starts with listening and looking carefully at your surroundings. For the Birding Club, sharing knowledge of wildlife started as, “providing a pocket of space for people. They can come to relax, and have scheduled time to do [their] hobbies and learn more about birds,” said Aisha Jimenez, a fourth-year biology major with a concentration in ecology.
This pocket of space expanded through weekly meetings and occasional events. The club has around 10 recurring members with varying experience. The club nurtures members with prior knowledge while also welcoming those looking to try out a new hobby.
“At first I was not much of a bird guy, I am a huge fish guy, and once upon a time I hated birds because they disliked me, but one outing with Tiana [Williams, club vice president] and my mentor completely changed my outlook on birds,” said Migural Aguilar, post-baccalaureate marine science major and club secretary. “They are animals and they are really interesting, but the more you learn about them the more fascinated you are.”
Birding is a recreational activity that consists of observing and identifying birds in their natural habitats. In this case, the Lutrinae shadowed a field trip with the Otter Birding Club to Laguna Grande Regional Park. While out in the field, the club provides members with binoculars and field guides, which are books that have images and descriptions of birds.
Members traveled around the park for three hours, constantly stopping to try and identify a bird based on its call or its color. Each time, cameras came out ready to snap a photo of a red-winged blackbird or a black pheobe.
“We identify the birds to advance our knowledge and get familiar with the native species in our area. I started out just with identifying the birds in my backyard and that passion grew, I recommend for beginners to start with their backyards. Learning about the native species in your area gives you a better understanding on how to preserve them,” said Williams.
Along with a trip, the club continuously has activities for members. Bird identifying bingo is a game club administrators hand out to members. If a member finds a bird that is on their bingo sheet, they take a picture of it to get that square stamped. When a bingo is earned, prizes are given to members to motivate them to continue identifying on their own.
Along with the field guilds, another method they use to identify birds is an app called Merlin, which takes in bird calls and uses them to identify species. Members call the app a vital tool and recommend it to those who start birding. However, there is never a lack of a helping eye or ear when joining the Birding Club.
“It is so fun, there are people that are so much more experienced than me but everyone is a part of the flock,” said Aguilar. “Willing to lend a hand with IDing birds, teaching each other by being out there together. Everything is so inclusive.”
Photo by Hailey McConnell