Fledgling

[dadizgr8t]

Hi, my name is Annette. I live in Arkansas. I ran into this website yesterday and have been reading some of the posts. I feel like I am completely over-my-head in this site. I have just completed my Wood Duck ranking in Arkansas's Wings Over Arkansas Program which amounts to having identifed 50 birds! I have a LONG way to go!!!! I hope to learn a great deal from y'all.

[Bobolink44]

Hi dadizgr8t and welcome to the Surfbirds Forum! I hope we can help. 50 birds is not bad at all!

[Nighthawk]

Hi Annette and a very warm welcome to the Forum.

You may have a long way to go with learning about the birds, but we've all been at that stage and no matter how hard you try, it's always a little difficult to pick it all up but the more you go out the better you'll learn. If we can be of help then please - ask!

All the best to Arkansas, to you too!

[Colin Key]

Hi Annette,

You might feel a bit "over your head" but another way of looking at it is that you are at the most exciting stage of your birding 'career'. Birding (like train spotting!) has something of a finite lifespan and the more you see the less there is left to see. Watching birds come to garden feeders, or visiting a local reserve, and then working out for yourself using a fieldguide (rather than just asking someone "whatzat?") exactly what you had seen was probably the most interesting and exciting phase of the hobby for me.

I have an Australian friend (one of Oz's top birders) who has seen all but three of Australia's endemic species (migrants are very thin on the ground in Oz). I asked him what he was going to do when he had bagged the last three and he simply replied "I'll start all over again". :ohdear:

Colin

[Brian S]

Welcome Annette

Surfbirds is for all abilities and the stage of learning will continue and evolve as you find out more, but the best is simply to enjoy watching the birds around you. If you need help we are hear to ask....

Brian S