Recently, Maeve and I were at Mills Riverside Park; she was birding, I was inverting*, and viewing ephemerals. After a few hours on the upper level, I met up with Maeve at the base of the park to sit at the Gazebo and watch/listen to birds and insects.
As we viewed a flycatcher, I said, “Hey, your bird ate my insect!".
To which Maeve said, “You got an insect on my bird.”
To which we both laughed and decided that the
two walks and sits (Birding and Inverting) are great together.
We are therefore spreading the word to get a cadre of folks to join in the concept of Birds and Bugs (Birding and Inverting combined). It is worth exploring and developing. Birding is a step into nature. Many folks recognize the values and benefits of being in nature. Birding is one piece. Add in the quiet. Add in the aesthetics. Add in Inverting. Before you know it, we're looking at the whole puzzle instead of just pieces. And what a puzzle picture nature is.
Erin Talmage at the Birds of Vermont Museum writes, “We recently had a bird walk that included birds, spring ephemerals, and frog eggs. Because... well... we just couldn't help it!”
Heather Holm, a biologist, pollinator conservationist, and award-winning author, writes of birding and inverting, “My husband and I do this every weekend, he's the birder and I'm the inverter.”
While individual species, organisms, woodlands, and waterways are distinct, they also interact and rely on each other within ecosystems, creating a web of interconnectedness.
Birding and Inverting, viewing Ephemeral flowers, and other nature immersions complement one another, complete the puzzle picture, and help make us complete; they help us see the interconnections.
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| This American Snout (Libytheana carinenta) rested on my fingers while I walked 150 steps along the Mobbs trail in Jericho. He is a character in my upcoming book, Ben Walker Discovers Bugs in an Alien World. |
The similarities between birding and ‘inverting’ are evident. There is the discovery ( I have to boast for insects, as there are so many more species to discover). There is the beauty, the colors, patterns, sounds, and behaviors. I have stories of insects mating, predating, falling, crashing, and going eye to eye with me. There is identification for those skilled and wanting to know the species name. There is the challenge. Try getting a photo of a Bumblebee queen fresh out of her winter hibernation and working to get food from flowers. She is hungry and has no patience for me pestering her. Though I have to admit getting a photo of a bird pooping (a fixation of mine) is also challenging!
I believe ‘inverting’ will become the new birding. Worry not, birders, there is room for us (all) to open our eyes to everything around us.
Birds and Bugs Outing: Get out there with eyes, ears, and interest, open. Look up, look down, look. all around. See a Great Crested Fly Catcher hover in the air and snatch an insect. Go eye to eye with a jumping spider - no one can outstare them. Sit in front of Jewel Weed flowers while humming birds and wild native bees all come to you (well, actually, they are coming for the food in the flowers).
Birds and Bugs. Remember that combining birding with ‘inverting’ creates enjoyable walks and sits. They go great together (like chocolate and peanut butter).
View Bernie’s photos of Mills Riverside Park, Insects, birds, Ephemerals at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=176168&user_id=bugeyedbernie&verifiable=any
Birds I think I heard or viewed at Mills Riverside Park on a solo trip on May 5 include: Ovenbird, Nuthatch, Chickadee, R.W. Blackbird, Robin, Wild Turkey (?), Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Blackburnian Warbler (?), Black-throated Green, Black-throated Blue (?), Raven, Crow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Brown Creeper, Scarlet Tanager (?) Blue Jay, Blue-headed Vireo, Titmouse, Baltimore Oriole (?), Downy Woodpecker, Canada Goose, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Broad-winged Hawk, Wood Thrush. Might have finally gotten a shot of the outer wing of the West Virginia White (Pieris virginiensis). Awaiting iNaturalist identification.
Note: (?) indicates the suggested ID by the Merlin App that may not be correct.
If you don’t make it outside to see the insects, follow me at bugeyedbernie on iNaturalist and on my blog at https://vtbugeyed.blogspot.com/ to see photos of these lovely creatures.
*Note: Bernie coined the term 'inverting' for the observation of invertebrates, as birding is for the observation of birds.
Bernie Paquette
Jericho, Vermont
I am an Inverter (and part-time birder).
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