Flybys: Why Patience Gives Back Eventually

I don't know about everyone else, but I for one despise nothing more than waiting. I've always had little patience and never liked sitting around waiting for something to happen. Even before I got into birding years ago, I hated car rides, plane rides, firework shows, etc. However, when it comes to birding, those who wait are usually rewarded. Hawk watches and sea watches are a perfect example. Down at Avalon Sea Watch, people go everyday. They sit there all day, counting every species that flies by. This means everything from scoters to jaegers to loons, nothing goes uncounted. Like I said, I always love to see cool birds, but after the three thousandth Black Scoter, I would lose interest. However, just this year, Avalon Sea Watch has had multiple NJ rarities including a number of Pacific Loons, a Manx Shearwater, all three jaegers, and (cue drum roll), the second state record Masked Booby. I don't know how the watcher was able to contain himself, I think I would just stop breathing and pass out on the spot if I saw a Masked Booby in NJ. It took a lot of patience, but he got himself one heck of lifer!

Although I've only gone to sea and hawk watches a few times, and the only thing of note I've see is a Dickcissel pair flyby the Cape May Point Hawk Watch, I have some pretty good waiting stories. One of my favorites takes place right down the road from me. I was at my usual local nature preserve (called The Celery Farm, I don't think I've ever mentioned that here) in April sitting on one of the platforms. I was enjoying myself watching Yellow Warblers and Baltimore Orioles flying from one side of the preserve to the other. All of a sudden, a medium-sized group of folks birding joined me on the platform. As soon as this happened, I knew something cool was going to show up...I only have luck in numbers, never on my own. Literally two minutes after I said that to myself, a Common Loon comes flying in. I immediately said, "uh...there's a loon over there," and all the people turned and out their binoculars up like a marching band snapping to attention. The loon landed on the lake briefly, then continued North. It was very cool because that is a rare migrant in my home county. In fact, it was a county lifer. So my casual birding day ended in triumph, all after sitting on a platform for a little too long. 

Moral of the story, don't ever walk away from a platform. I know some tragic stories of people missing mega rarities because they left to find somewhere better to bird. And remember, patience is always rewarding when birding....sometimes it takes longer than you want, believe me.

Happy sitting!

- Mike

Common Loon that flew by the platform,

my county lifer.