The Great American Bald Eagle.
The first thing any birder needs is a decent pair of binoculars. As with any hobby, the amount you invest into it the better your results will be, but as this is a 101 style article we’ll assume that a decent magnification low-end pair will do just fine. It’s no good to spend a fortune on a set and find out that you actually despise birds and the incessant racket they make. Should that not be the end result then you can always upgrade to a pair more suited to your needs.
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You’ll also want to look into a good field guide or bird recognition manual. It goes without saying (then why am I?) that the aspiring birder will want to find a guide which focuses on local species, whether those be Massachusetts or Rhode Island based. There are several excellent manuals on the migratory water fowl of the Canadian Provinces out there, but since these articles focus on the Providence area those books will be little more than an interesting conversation piece for your next Canadian dinner party.
Flamingoes, NOT native to New England.
The field guides are good as a portable reference but it’s hard to beat the net in the long run. For online resources it’s hard to go wrong turning to your state chapter of the Audubon Society. They’re good resources for local habitats, recent conservation efforts and the society is always running educational programs for those interested in learning more.
The decision of which types of birds you’re seeking will ultimately decide where you go for your birding. Gulls, heron or ducks will clearly lead the enthusiast to either coastal areas or wetlands. Peregrine falcons, owls, finch and red tailed hawk are indigenous to drier locales, large forests or highway medians. It sounds a little odd, what with all that “construction driving animals out of their native habitats” business but on any morning commute it’s becoming not uncommon to see predator birds circling the open space of the highway for prey. There’s one particular immature hawk that seems to have staked out the area around exit 12 on 495 for his own. So far he seems to be doing well for himself.
As for parks previously reviewed there are several good ones for the burgeoning birder. The Gertrude Boyden Wildlife Refuge offers a subtle mix of wetland and forest species while Lincoln Woods State Park and Mount Auburn Cemetery (yes, it’s still not a park) both have extensive lists of indigenous species. There’s also the lazy man’s version, throw some seed right outside your kitchen window and wait. You don’t know what will come until you try it.
The key to birding is essentially patience. It’s about letting nature follow its own routine rather than the one we always seek to impose on the world around us. Once you get that idea well and truly sussed out then birding can be a fun, inexpensive and highly obsessive pursuit.
Good luck.
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