On the state birding trail, Highlands County offers sanctuary to more
than 300 winged species watched by thousands of birders who either live or
visit here. Because of its natural environment of lakes and woods, the Lake
Placid area and the rest of the Lake Wales Ridge is home to these birds and
many of the birders who seek them.
Though a century old, birding has become a recent phenomenon, promoted by
ornithologist Frank Chapman who set out to put an end to the wholesale
Christmas bird slaughter that had become a national holiday pastime. Chapman
thought it made more sense to count birds than it did to kill them. Until
then, holiday celebrators formed teams and the team that had the largest
pile of feathers at the end of the day, won. Thanks to Chapman's ingenious
idea and the couple of dozen people who agreed with him, Christmas 1900,
counted more than 90 bird species scattered from Ontario to California.
Some birders organize for the annual Christmas Bird Count, but birders
are also curious people who hear a bird song and step closer to catch a
glimpse of the singing bird, maybe to see it and, using what they know or
what they find in a book, try to tell what kind of bird is singing there in
the lofty oak branches, the melodic song drifting through the swaying
Spanish moss. This fascination people have with birds becomes even more
interesting when we remember that scientists thick they are the vestiges of
the ancient reptilian era. After all, a "birder" is anyone who steps outside
to see what kind of bird is singing that song in that bush or tree. A birder
could be you or me.
