BANGOR DAILY NEWS • June 8, 2023
A birding festival is a good place to see a lot of birds, and birders. The Acadia Birding Festival attracts birders from all over the country. It’s a good chance to take a close look at people who bird. My observations: Many birds look alike. Most birders don’t. Intermediate birders are generally able to recognize birds by sight but are still learning to identify them by sound. Beginning birders benefit the most. Even experienced birders can be inexperienced. While birdering, so-called “experience” varies widely. Birding knowledge is acquired more by experience than education. Birders only get better with time. Until they lose their hearing. One category of birders earns my special respect: SOBs, Spouses of Birders. Birders come in all shapes and sizes, but apparently not races. ~ Bob Duchesne