Kayaking + Birding by Sound = Joy!
12-minute read
A wonderful way to connect with nature is to “bird by sound.” To learn to identify bird species around you by their song or call. Add kayaking to the mix and you have a perfect combo of joy and relaxation!
A “Birding by Paddle” event on the St. Croix River, Wisconsin/Minnesota border (photo courtesy of Daniel Peterson)
When you ask people why they love to paddle, a large majority will say because it gets us into nature. In our often hectic pace of life surrounded by artificial noise, it’s tremendously calming to be on the water, hearing only your paddle and the natural sounds around us. And no matter where in nature we are, birds are there too.
We see some of them—flying, diving, swimming, skipping and running, standing along the shore or in the shallows. But we can hear a lot more than we usually see, especially when we kayak or canoe along the banks or on intimate riverways.
We can learn to connect a bird’s sound with its species, so even when we can’t see them we know they’re out there. It helps us feel more a part of nature itself. How rewarding is that?!
Ranger Dan Peterson works at the St. Croix River District here in Wisconsin, not far from our headquarters. An avid birder on the side, he’s found ways to incorporate his passion with his work with the National Park Service throughout his career.
One of those ways is by leading “birding by sound” kayak tours on the St. Croix River (that divides Wisconsin from Minnesota) and the Namekagon River, one of the St. Croix’s tributaries.
We were able to get Dan to sit down long enough for a conversation recently about these kayak tours, his birding experience, and how you can learn to bird by sound too.
Here’s what we learned from him:
Aqua Bound: Why is "birding by sound" a rewarding addition to our paddling experiences?
RANGER DAN: It offers a focus or objective to the kayaking experience. And it gets people to start using their senses a little bit more when they get out on the river.
You never know what you’ll see on the water’s edge (photo courtesy of Sharon Brodin)
There are a number of people who go on paddle events with us who are novice birders. They bird, but they do it from their backyard. This is something new for them, and we hope they can do it again on their own or even come back for our event again sometime.
I always tell people it’s good sometimes to get out by yourself, but it becomes better when shared with someone, even with a small group. It’s more fun. And on the river there’s always the possibility of seeing an otter or something along the way.
Riverways like the St. Croix are immense with a variety of different habitats. For example, the watershed of the St. Croix is like the size of New Jersey—close to 8,000 square miles. That’s a lot of great habitat to explore, and you’ll find different birds in each area.
AB: Tell us about the Birding by Paddle events you lead.
RANGER DAN: We partner with the Wild Rivers Conservancy for a lot of program activities, including these events. The Conservancy is the official non-profit partner of St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. They do the advertisement and registration piece and asked me to be the lead guide.
In the 3-4 years we’ve been doing these, we get 15-18 participants each time. We primarily kayak the stretch of the St. Croix from Interstate Park to the Osceola Landing [FYI, Aqua Bound’s backyard!] and on the Namekagon from Trail Landing to Riverside. This is a nice stretch with some scenic pieces and the confluence of the St. Croix.
Pulled off on the Namekagon for a listening break during a Birding by Paddle event (photo courtesy of Daniel Peterson)
It’s a different experience from a bird walk. On a walk, your audience is captive in a certain way, you have a bit more control. When we bird by paddle there are more challenges. You’re in a boat. You’re on a moving river and there’s lots of eye candy that takes place (like the occasional otter). So it’s kind of hard to keep people together.
But I’ve learned through the years to start off the program even before getting on the river. We set expectations of the habitat, the birds we’re most likely to see, maybe the unique ones we hope will be found along the way.
Everyone in the groups is excited about it. They all love birds. So we do little icebreakers—go around and introduce ourselves, where we’re from, our favorite birds, and what we want to gain from this paddling experience.
Once we get on the river, the stretch on the St. Croix we do is pretty calm and flat water so we can drift and listen. Take in a lot of great sounds. We may stop along the way on the bank, just hang and listen. We’ll do passive listening for a few minutes then I try to identify those birds that are calling.
Then at the end at the takeout, I’ll go through the bird list and let the group know which birds we heard and saw. I can share the list with everyone in the group by email—maybe it was 59 birds in our three hours on the river. Group members always want that list.
AB: What suggestions do you have for waterways, seasons and times of day for a good birding by sound experience?
RANGER DAN: Birdwatching along the St. Croix Riverway is excellent no matter where and when it takes place. Weekends (especially holiday weekends) do tend to be busier anywhere you are, though, and so I suggest going during the weekdays if you want the river and the birds to yourself.
Some rivers are better than others as far as stopping along the way. For example, the Namekagon is really a put-in/take-out kind of river because it’s narrower and the water moves faster. In the St. Croix, on the other hand, you can put your boat in and paddle upstream and downstream. Backwater areas on larger rivers are kind of fun, too.
Dan’s kayak during a Birding by Paddle event on the St. Croix River (photo courtesy of Daniel Peterson)
You want to avoid any spring floods and wait until the river is more manageable so it’s not going to be a danger. If you can get out in the spring before the leaves fully emerge you’ll have a better chance of seeing the birds you hear. In our area, early June is a great time because birds are nesting. Our whole world is just alive with sound, movement and color.
Then a good fall paddle is great, too. You get two-for-one in the fall colors and the fall migrants. The birds may not be as vocal as they are in the spring, but you do have a lot of waterfowl moving through.
The time of day does matter. You can get out early for some good variety. A lot of the birds that come through our area are staging here before making their journeys further north into Canada. Many of them are insectivorous, feeding on insects. The insects are more active on a good, warm, sunny day versus an overcast day, so you’ll see more birds too.
Pay attention to weather fronts. A strong weather front will blow in migrating bird species with it.
Birds are not going to be found in one layer but in all the layers of the shoreline and water. A number of species prefer to be perched on the tops of trees, up near the crown. You’ll find another set of species that prefer the middle canopy. You probably won’t see them but will be able to hear them. Then there’s the set that are down on the ground.
Water birds are a common sight during paddle trips—but aren’t the only birds out there! (photo courtesy of Sharon Brodin)
AB: What tips do you have for those who want to learn to identify birds by sound for their own paddle trips?
RANGER DAN: The best thing is to get out on bird walks, and paddles if they’re offered in your area. There are many great organizations and opportunities, even bird lectures. The more time you get out with birders the more opportunities will open up for you. There are a lot of birding clubs and social media groups people can look into.
There are a variety of bird guide apps available, some of which are free. There are several excellent printed guidebooks on the market, and some great birding videos online.
Listen and look in every direction (photo courtesy of Sharon Brodin)
AB: Where did your love of birding come from?
RANGER DAN: I’m not an expert birder, but I’ve been birding the majority of my life. I’ve been very fortunate to work for the National Park Service and our National Wildlife Refuge system. So I’ve had great opportunities to work in and bird in a variety of great places.
I got into birding at a young age. I saw my first bald eagle at our family cabin up in northern Wisconsin when I was about 7 years of age. Then I saw a loon, then a great blue heron would fish off the end of the dock. I became more aware of the flying things around me.
It did help that my parents were good friends with birders. Their friends would travel around the world on birding expeditions and then show us their slides when they got back. I was amazed at seeing their slides from the Amazon or New Zealand—all these amazing birds.
That really sparked my interest. I never thought I could actually be paid for it, but it just kind of fell into place. When I’d work at a new park—the Badlands or Grand Canyon or Voyagers—I’d get right there and develop a bird walk program.
Most of my own birding is done by ear, 80-90 percent of it. I got my training when I was pursuing my Master’s Degree. Part of my schooling was to do breeding bird surveys. In order to be a recorder I had to be able to identify 80 different species by ear.
Ranger Dan (right) leads a bird walk (photo courtesy of Wild Rivers Conservancy)
AB: What’s your favorite bird?
RANGER DAN: I love turkey vultures. Generally, all birds have a sense of smell. The turkey vulture has an incredible sense of smell out of all the birds out there.
And if you ever watch one, it’s a graceful, peaceful bird. They’re soaring on those wings, riding the thermals. They’re just so relaxed—at ease and at peace. That’s how I feel. I’m pretty relaxed and at peace.
AB: Any last words for our readers?
RANGER DAN: I encourage people to get out when they hear about a bird walk or paddle. Just give it a shot.
And have patience. That’s a big piece of birding. Stay in one area long enough to really listen and watch. You may need a mosquito net over your head but just have that patience. Sit perfectly still and listen for a solid minute, for 10 minutes.
We’re in a fast-paced world. We’re always on the move. We have our digital devices that we’re glued to all the time. When do we ever just pause and listen?
Contact Ranger Dan for a Birding by Paddle tour
Dan offered his contact information if you’re interested in a Birding by Paddle tour yourself or if you’d like suggestions for the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway:
- Ranger Dan’s email: daniel_peterson@nps.gov
- Park Office: 401 N Hamilton St, St Croix Falls WI 54024
- St. Croix National Scenic Riverway Birdwatching page
A big thanks to Ranger Dan Peterson for his time with us!
Bird App Suggestions
We did a little digging to get you started on your own birding journey. Here are a few apps we found that you may be interested in checking out. Once you have one or more of these apps downloaded, they’ll be handy to have along with you on the water:
- eBird—Keeps track of your time out birding and the birds you see and hear. It builds into an international database while keeping track of your own trips when you set up an account. Managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
- Merlin has a recorder that listens to and identifies common North American birds. Built for beginning birders.
- National Geographic Birds works for birders of all levels. It’s used to help identify birds you see.
- Peterson Birds is great for birders used to working their way around print field guides. It’s the app version of the famous print book.
- iBird Pro is a paid app that birders say is worth the money for those serious about learning. It covers birds throughout North, Central and South America and allows you to track your own sightings.
- Audobon Birds is a highly-rated free app that covers tons of details including photos and recordings. Covers North American birds.
For more (and for ideas outside of the Americas) check out this page on BirdersLibrary.com.
What paddling questions can our friendly Customer Service team help you with? Contact us at 715-755-3405 or sales@aquabound.com
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