When waking up for an 8 a.m. class in the spring semester, one of the first things a students is likely to hear are birds singing outside their window. Most don’t give these birds a second thought, but those songs are music to a birder’s ears.
With the warmer weather, spring provides a great opportunity for those who might be interested in birding – slang for bird-watching – and have been looking for a good time to start.
MSU Birding Club vice president and animal science junior Meredith Anderson said she has been birding for almost two years, though her uncle taught her about backyard birds when she was younger.
A menagerie of species including robins, cardinals, crows and sparrows can be seen on the casual walk to class, but Anderson said there are a few special spots on campus where more unusual birds can be spotted.
Her favorite area is a small plot of pine trees surrounding a small pond just south of the Natural Resources Building, she said, where warblers tend to make a pit stop during spring migration.
“The rest of the year, it’s a good spot for sapsuckers and woodpeckers,” Anderson said. “There’s a good variety because of the pond.”
As far as other areas on campus go, you’re more likely to find birds in Sanford Natural Area than Baker Woodlot, Anderson said.
“Sanford is more open,” she said. “And Baker has a lot of old growth trees, so anything you see is going to be high up.”
For beginning birders, Anderson offered a few tips.
“I would say, first of all, get binoculars and keep your ears open,” she said. “You can train your ear really well by listening to songs, and if you’re somewhere with more diversity you’ll learn to recognize common songs and be able to seek out the songs you’re less familiar with.”
The conditions outside can affect birding success, as well.
“A lot of people say earlier morning is best, and I tend to want a sunny day,” Anderson said.
Other wildlife clubs
Birding Club members aren’t the only ones who search campus for critters — the MSU Herpetology Club frequently goes “herping” for salamanders in natural areas on campus.
While these clubs focus on the wildlife, other organizations look to keep the campus environment clean as a whole.
The MSU Fisheries and Wildlife Club leads the semiannual Red Cedar River Cleanup, as well as hosts many other outdoors events.
In addition, MSU Greenpeace is working to fight against oil companies like Enbridge to keep our water and soil clean.
The Residential Initiative on the Study of the Environment, or RISE program, is launching the Bailey Tea Project out of Horticulture Greenhouses and Sustainable Spartans just installed a solar-powered table in South Neighborhood to conserve energy.
