
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, May 8, 1995                   TAG: 9505080018
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BIRDING BASICS

FIELD GUIDES: Roger Tory Peterson's "Field Guide to the Birds" once was the bible of birders, but that has changed. If he had but one field guide, birder Tad Finnel said it would be the National Geographic Society Field Guide to the Birds of North America.

CLUBS: The Roanoke Valley Bird Club, founded in 1957, schedules numerous field trips annually, including two coastal outings. The Christmas Bird Count, fall hawk watching and Big Spring Day are among the most popular. Members also meet for programs the second Monday of each month, except June, July and August, 7:30 p.m. at the Science Museum. Many of the activities are listed on this page in Outdoors You Go. The club president is Mike Smith, 366-4260. Jim Ayers is the field trips coordinator, 345-5791.

WHERE TO GO: Southwest Virginia's diversity of water and woods, mountains and meadows provides a rich variety of bird life. One-tenth of the birds of North America can be viewed in this region, said Finnel.

BINOCULARS: Binoculars are an important tool for birders, but there is little need for a beginner to spend big bucks for a pair, said Finnel. You can get decent optical equipment at discount stores for a reasonable price. Choose a set you are comfortable with - maybe a 7x35 or 8x50 - and practice using them by picking out an object with your eyes, then finding it with your binoculars.

MAKE A LIST: Bird-watching isn't the passive affair that some outsiders believe it to be. Birders can be meticulous list-keepers, compiling careful records of the birds they spot. They delight in adding a rare and highly sought-after species to their "life list."

CONTRIBUTE: If you want to do something for birds, a contribution to the Virginia nongame and endangered species tax-checkoff program can make a difference. So does support of conservation organizations that protect habitat, such as the Nature Conservancy.

BACKYARD HABITAT: You can enhance birding opportunities in your back yard by hanging out feeders, putting up nesting boxes and culturing habitat that benefits birds. The National Wildlife Federation has a Backyard Habitat Program that offers tips on urban wildlife. Write: Urban Wildlife, National Wildlife Federation, 1400 Sixteenth St., Washington, D.C., 20036-2266. For landowners with 20 acres or more of rural property, the Forest Stewardship Program offers assistance in managing for wildlife. Contact: Virginia Division of Forestry, P.O. Box 3758, Charlottesville, 22903.

by CNB