The song of the yellow warbler needs no translation. As its sweet whistle bounces among the branches and floats through the thickets, this brilliantly colored bird speaks the universal language of music.
During the recent Biggest Week in American Birding festival, language was not a barrier as the world became a smaller place and birds became a much more interesting and enjoyable part of that world, thanks to a unique program from the Black Swamp Bird Observatory.
GALLERY: During Biggest Week in American Birding, language was not a barrier
Children and adults from Toledo’s Adelante Latino Resource Center were taken on a birding tour by expert guides from Panama and Miami. Under this leadership, the group experienced the “Windows on Wildlife” at Swan Creek Metropark and also took part in a guided bird walk through the preserve.
“This was an opportunity for children and adults alike who had never been exposed to such an experience, so it was eye-opening across the board,” said Sabina Serratos, the executive director at Adelante.
“What I saw take place was them enjoying a new experience that was outside of what they normally would do. I think they saw birds in a very different way.”
That was exactly what the guides for the tour, and the leadership at Black Swamp Bird Observatory, had been hoping the event would produce.
“One of the highlights of the trip for me is helping guide the kids and their families, and sharing with them the beautiful birds and wildlife of the surrounding area,” said guide Carlos Bethancourt of Panama.
“Some of these birds we see here migrate to Panama during the winter, and that provides a chance to teach the kids about migration and the importance of protecting habitat in the birds’ winter home, as well as their nesting grounds.”
Bethancourt, who guides at Canopy Tower in his native Panama but travels the world to speak at birding conventions and conferences, was first invited to the Biggest Week three years ago to guide Spanish-speaking children and adults from Adelante.
“I immediately said yes because I believe education is very important, especially teaching kids about nature and how fun birdwatching can be,” he said. “Once again, we had a fantastic time sharing the amazing birdwatching world with the kids. This is a great experience and I learn something every time from the kids. Spending time with the kids is always fun, we laugh and learn, and at the same time teach them.”
Serratos said more than 40 people from Adelante took part in the Swan Creek birding tour.
“Since this is the third year, it is something Adelante has looked forward to each time,” she said. “One of the wonderful things is the guides, since our families were able to connect with them and felt more comfortable with the language and the culture.”
Kim Kaufman, the executive director of Black Swamp Bird Observatory, said the spring birding tours arranged with Adelante and others with Grace Community Center are essential to the mission of her organization.
“These free programs and walks are offered as part of BSBO’s commitment to diversity, inclusiveness, and equity in birding and bird conservation,” she said. “We are working hard to throw the doorway to the natural wide open wide in an effort to help all people fall in love with birds.”
Black Swamp Bird Observatory provides the expert guides for these tours, as well as binoculars and field guides in both Spanish and English.
“The experience of learning what is out there, it adds value to the lives of everyone,” Serratos said. “For Kim and her team to open the doors to this to everyone — they’re doing a great job of serving a diverse audience, and we appreciate the fact Adelante in on their radar.”
Kaufman said offering programs to groups such as Adelante is part of the effort to welcome all people to experience the “joyfulness” of birds.
“It's the most extraordinary feeling for our organization to be the nucleus of something so positive — for people and for birds,” she said. “Our partnerships help us achieve our mission to build an all-inclusive birding community, while gaining more support for bird conservation in the process.”
For Bethancourt, the smiles of the children were a bonus. They were able to look up birds they saw in “Guia de Campo a las Aves de Norteamerica,” the first-ever Spanish-language field guide to North American birds, written by author and avian expert Kenn Kaufman.
“Seeing their faces while looking for the first time through a pair of binoculars is priceless,” he said. “They can see every detail and color of the bird. One of the kids I was helping with the bird ID was fascinated by the fact that he could recognize a bird that he was looking at on the feeder, and then find it in the book.”
Contact Blade outdoors editor Matt Markey at: mmarkey@theblade.com or 419-724-6068.
First Published May 18, 2018, 6:00 p.m.
