Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2004 11:32:08 -0500 Reply-To: Maryland Birds & Birding Sender: Maryland Birds & Birding From: Sharon Schwemmer Subject: Re: Babies and Birding In-Reply-To: <00c401c3ea6d$b8bc7840$6502a8c0@dellupstairs> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed At 10:50 AM 2/3/2004 -0500, you wrote: >I don't know about attaching bins to baby carriers, but I can reassure >you that you can bird fairly well with a newborn + several months. >Just time it for when they're sleeping-which becomes scheduled for most >babies after awhile. Being walked in the baby carrier is a wonderful >way to cope with colic-although, it's usually midnight when you're >dealing with that. > >It becomes more difficult as they get mobile and making noises. Early >childhood can be very trying to actually accomplish birding-because of >short attention spans, all their "movement" and noise. I would suggest >you leave the kid behind for serious birding. > >Sort of time to stop and smell the roses. Making a bird walk fun >becomes more of a nature study as you have to stop and deal with what's >at hand-rather than chase after a bird song. The 18-month old who >insisted on moving rocks out of the path (all afternoon) is a >wonderful memory-but we saw no birds. > >A word of advice-do not expect the kid to necessarily follow your >outdoor interests. It might happen. We continued the hiking, birding, >canoeing, camping with our son and although he enjoyed Scouting trips >and even hiked the Maryland AT as a young teen---he couldn't wait to go >off to college in a big city. His current interests are no where close >to ours, of course; but we have hopes than the outdoor interests will >be revived once he has kids himself. > >Congratulations-and enjoy them while you have them. > >Beth > >======== Beth, I agree with you on birding with a baby. It's pretty easy while they are in carrier stage, front and even back carriers. I took my oldest son with me on most of my outdoor treks, including leading bird walks for elementary school kids, and my 2nd son, leading tours at the Balto. Zoo! As toddlers they accompanied me to my banding duties twice a week or more. When my oldest was between 18 months and 2 yrs. old he could pick out several birds from my guide books, such as the owls, cardinal, robin and several others. That was because he looked at that book while we were driving to our destinations. I too kept up with the hiking, birding, camping, Scouting. But as soon as the driver's license came ( actually, not til he was 17! ), it was off to the city, gathering with friends, etc.. I thought all was lost. Now he is in his 20's and will go birding with me!!!! Yay!!! He's traveled some and tells me what birds he sees. So, it DID sink in! My 2nd son used to tell me occasionally that as he was on the bus to or from school, he'd see maybe, a Great Blue Heron in the stream along the road, or a hawk flying overhead. He was amazed that NO ONE else on the bus saw these things, and couldn't understand why. He would also tell me he saw such and such a bird, what was it? And now my 3rd son, who is 14, likes to help me with banding, WHEN he's around. He doesn't make a special effort, but if he's here, he enjoys helping. So, I believe if you keep exposing them to it, they will retain it and hopefully will enjoy it as they mature. Good luck!!! Sharon Schwemmer Hampstead,MD sharons@carr.org ======================================================================= To leave the MDOsprey list, send e-mail to listserv@home.ease.lsoft.com with the following message in line 1: signoff mdosprey ======================================================================= =========================================================================