Birding for profit
Submitted by Bird Watching Blog
Written by Michael Vass
Bird watching, or birding, is a pastime that millions enjoy. It’s a peaceful enterprise with a deep connection to nature. The appeal is not limited to age, profession, or any other restriction that many other hobbies retain.
But there is something else about birding that many do not think of. It’s also a profession.
Brian Bielfelt is a 25-year-old biology graduate from Florida who works as Audubon Greenwich’s “hawk-watcher”. That means that Bielfelt spends 3 months outdoors watching the sky and documenting the various migrations passing him in Greenwich, Connecticut. It’s a position that many might find enviable.
But it’s not just a job of watching in peaceful pastures while basking in the sun. Detailed records are kept each day, noting different species and numbers of each. These records are documented at www.hawkcount.org where other data collected by biologists is put together. The net result is the ability to determine changes in migration patterns, and/or the health of a population of birds.
In the past 3 months Bielfelt has already recorded 18,701 broad-winged hawks, over 300 turkey vulture and American kestrel falcons. And each day brings a new challenge. Weather and other conditions can alter the number of birds seen on any one day. One of the most busy days provided sightings as many as 13,000 broad-winged hawks.
As jobs go, there are many that may be more lucrative or impressive in title. But overall there are few that provide such a connection to nature, and are as rewarding on a personal level.
