Spring Birding at Janeway Conservation Area
May 10, 2025 – Is it worth it to get up at the crack of dawn in the pouring rain, layer on rain gear, and hope to see some birds? Twenty local bird watchers, from novice to expert, rose extra early at the beginning of May to join Five Rivers Conservation Trust for a spring bird walk at the Janeway Conservation Area in Webster. Expert naturalist Linden Rayton of Living Water Nature Programs led the way.
The weather was not ideal, to say the least. We banked on a break from the heavy rain that the Capital Region had been experiencing for the past couple of weeks, and we were lucky Mother Nature was on our side that morning—for at least an hour.
We gathered in the field to the north of the Janeway Barn. The colorful rain gear stood out in the dreary early light. Linden started by giving a short lesson on how to use binoculars: “Spot the bird with your eyes, then bring the binoculars up to your eyes,” she said. She also explained that when signaling you’ve spotted a bird, shouting “There’s a bird!” and pointing is not very helpful. Instead, use descriptive words and an imaginary clock to explain where the bird is located. For example: “South at two o’clock, on the third skinny branch from the ground on the birch next to the big pine.” Before we even left our starting circle in the field, one seasoned birder spotted a bright orange male Baltimore Oriole in a tree in the middle of the field. Its beautiful plumage stood out starkly against the dark background.
As we traveled down the main trail off the field toward the Blackwater River, a White-throated Sparrow and Gray Catbird made brief appearances. Red-spotted newts dotted the trail, soaking up the early morning moisture. A few more bird species appeared as the light sprinkling gave way to heavier rain. Jacket hoods went up and binocular lens caps went on as we reached the floodplain near the river.
The highlights of the day were a Louisiana Waterthrush at the bend in the river, and a Kingfisher dipping in and out of sight. We even saw a beaver! We admired the beautiful sandy bank at the crook of the swollen river, where many birds like to make their home. Back up to the field, we went to gather for a final group photo. A lovely Great Blue Heron gave us one last sighting as it flew by like an arrow in the sky, pointing home. In all, we spotted fourteen species of birds—which isn’t too shabby considering the weather.
Is it worth getting up in less-than-ideal weather to do some birdwatching? I am reminded of a saying my ecology teacher used to repeat on field days in college: “There is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate outerwear.” The outerwear was appropriate, the company was great, and the birds were still out enjoying their breakfast—so I think we all agreed: it was a birdwatching morning well worth the rain.
For more information about Linden Rayton and her workshops please visit: livingwaternature.com.
