"Birding Pals" from around the globe

My first experience with being a local birding guide occurred on Saturday, May 17th 2014.  I had been

contacted a couple weeks earlier (via email) from a gentleman who was in my area visiting his daughter from Germany, and wished to go out and see some of the local birds.  He contacted me through a web service called "Birding Pals" that offers birders from around the globe an opportunity to connect.  I had signed up over a year ago and had basically forgotten it but was thrilled to see an email land in my inbox from a requesting bird watcher.  Of course I replied, "yes" and that I would love to go out birding together.  

The following is direct from the BirdingPal website and describes what exactly it is:

"The History of Birdingpal 

Birdingpal.org was started year 2000 by Knud Rasmussen, a Canadian birder, who found himself alone in British Columbia, Canada with a day to spare for a little birdwatching.  Spending most of the time driving around trying to find good birding spots, he realized that if there had been an existing website, he could have contacted a local birder via the internet from his laptop. The day would not only have been more productive, but also a good chance to meet a new person with the same interests as himself. This gave him the seed of an idea for a birdwatching website.

Within a month, he launched Birdingpal, a global site for traveling birders.  Today, Birdingpal has more than 3200 contacts in 156 countries including all the US states and Canadian provinces, and provides an important source of information for the traveling birder.  Birdingpal is ideal for business/conference travelers, who like to take a day or two for their favorite hobby while in a new place, but who do not have the time to do extensive research before they leave.  Many birders are retired people, who like to travel, and Birdingpal is the perfect tool to assist them in planning a trip that gets the best out of birding and provides an opportunity to meet local people.  It is not unusual for birders, who have met each other on Birdingpal, to become good friends and even visit each other. 

What is a Birdingpal?

Someone who signs up to be a Birdingpal is a local birder, who, regardless of his/her experience, is prepared to answer email inquires to the best of his/her ability, and possibly agree to show a visitor around.  Many Birdingpals are highly skilled birdwatchers with many years experience. Some are keen photographers, and others are heavily involved with habitat and wildlife protection. Many members have been Birdingpals for years.  A professional Pal will charge a fee, but whether or not to bird with a professional is, of course, entirely up to the person contacting them.  Birding with a local Pal, not only makes birdwatching more productive, but also safer, since they are familiar with their own customs and environment."


I met 66 year-old, retired pharmacy supervisor, Andreas Bader from Bielefeld, Germany at the Hart Park Senior Center at 8:30 AM.  His daughter dropped him off when they spotted the WPT.  We greeted one another as his daughter drove off (apparently satisfied that she hadn't delivered 'ol Dad into the hands of a serial killer) and that was that.  We strapped on our various birding gear and began walking West out of the park and towards the Menomonee (Underwood Creek) waterway section that I frequent nearer to Hoyt Park.  Andreas' spoken English was 1000 percent better than my one or two German phrases I absorbed from my children's four-year German studies; so we had no trouble communicating.  Andreas told me that he'd been birding a long time and that he had a rather extensive Life List, but he had not really ever sat down to compile one.  It was on his German equivalent of a bucket list, now that he had retired.

Thankfully the weather was completely cooperative (sunny, cool and a bit partly cloudy with low wind speeds) as we walked.  I set my typical slow bird watching pace, and that seemed to suite Andreas just fine.  We encountered several groups of walkers, dog walkers, runners, joggers, and a guy collecting Morel mushrooms in a black silken sack.  The guy graciously opened it up so I could see what one looked like and told me that this very weekend was the Muscoda, WI 32nd annual Morel Mushroom fest and that he was bummed to be missing it.  Yeah, I could understand that...missing something like that when it was your hobby is a real downer.  Who knew that Muscoda was the Morel Mushroom Capital of Wisconsin?  Plus, it's in Grant County; a place where I have visited and love to hang out in.  Now, it's on my own list for the near future, for sure.

We walked my usual pathway and traversed the same general circuit which Barbara and I have made many

times.  The birds were diverse and plentiful!  There were far more Baltimore orioles than I have ever seen in my ten years of walking along the river (creek).  Andreas had never seen a Wood thrush, so first I heard one and then we tracked one down so he could actually see it.  He had with him, two digital cameras; one quite large and expensive looking.  He was able to get some rather nice images as we walked and paused for picture taking.  We chatted a bit (about birds) as we moved from area to area; me preparing him for what he'd most likely see before we reached the spot.  A cool wind kicked up a bit in the open "prairie" area of the County Detention Pond, so we were both glad we had dressed in layers and had worn a hat.  

Sora rail (photographed in FL - 2010)

It was there that I heard and identified the "whinny" of at least one if not two Sora rails in the marsh grass.  Andreas had never heard one before, but was soon imitating the sound.  These small birds are quite elusive. and from the distance we were to them; we had no chance to eyeball any.  He also was able to see his first ever Eastern kingbird, Savannah sparrow, and Lincoln's sparrow in this area.  He was thrilled.

Chestnut-sided warbler

We spent about three hours on the trail before deciding to retreat to town.  We both were hungry so I suggested a new place that neither he nor I had been in called Cafe' Bavaria in downtown Wauwatosa.  Of course its the coolest thing ever to go to a new "German" restaurant (or even an old one) with an actual German guy right?  I suggested we order beer and a Bavarian pretzel with mustard and cheese.  Andreas agreed and the two of us sat there enjoying our food and drink while looking at the images we had taken earlier.  Andreas picked up the tab and we walked back to the WPT sitting in Hart Park parking. I then drove him to his daughter's house to bid him farewell, but not before he gifted me with authentic Storck chocolates from Berlin.  All in all, the entire experience was enjoyable and rewarding for the both of us.  Now, each of us has a "BirdingPal" in another country; and fond memories to cherish always.

The WPT (Birdstud-mobile) - Andreas photo

Here's our list for the morning:

1. Mallard
2. Canada goose
3. Solitary sandpiper
4. Northern cardinal
5. Tree sparrow
6. Lincoln's sparrow
7. Savannah sparrow
8. House sparrow
9. Barn swallow
10. Northern rough-winged swallow
11. Tree swallow
12. Eastern kingbird
13. Cedar waxwing
14. Red-bellied woodpecker
15. Downy woodpecker
16. Hairy woodpecker
17. Blue-gray gnatcatcher
18. Wilson's warbler
19. American redstart
20. Wood thrush
21. American robin
22. American crow
23. Black and white warbler
24. Common grackle
25. European starling
26. Mourning dove
27. Black-capped chickadee
28. American goldfinch
29. House finch
30. Alder flycatcher
31. Least flycatcher
32. Blue jay
33. Sora rail
34. Red-winged blackbird
35. Marsh wren
36. House wren
37. Common yellowthroat
38. Baltimore oriole

American Redstarts F (left) and M (right)

Andreas' Kingbird - Photo by him