John Sterling
President Central Valley Bird Club
Member of the California Bird Records Committee

1. Hooked on birding:
Please describe:

a. How you became interested in bird watching. I started when my Fifth Grade teacher showed me a Pileated Woodpecker in St. Helena during our school's environmental education camp week.

b. What you did to increase your bird identification skills. The best thing I did was to meet Mike Parmeter when I was 13, because he took me along on birding trips with other experts such as Gordon Bolander and Laurence Binford.

c. Why you continue to enjoy bird watching. It is my life.

2. Field of Dreams:

a. Share one of your memorable birding experiences in Stanislaus or Merced County. I greatly enjoyed a fall Big Day in Stanislaus with Jim Gain and Harold Reeve, and a Merced Big Day in the spring with Kent Van Vuren, John Luther and Steve Glover.

b. Identify a birding location in Stanislaus or Merced County that you enjoy going to and explain why you like to bird there. I like the O'Neill Forebay because a great vagrant landbird could potentially be found in the oasis of trees and rare waterbirds are also found there on a regular basis.

c. Identify a birding spot outside of Stanislaus or Merced County that you enjoy going to and explain why you like to bird there. I like to bird just about everywhere in the state, but coastal Humboldt County is my favorite because of my fond memories of finding many rare birds there with good friends.

3. A Few of My Favorite Things:

a. Pick 2 or 3 Stanislaus or Merced County bird species and explain why you look forward to seeing them. I always enjoy seeing Sandhill Cranes.

b. What bird species that you have not already seen in Stanislaus or Merced County would you would like to find next? Black-throated Blue Warbler

c. What is your favorite bird field guide that you take with you in the field (or have in your car)? Sibley

d. What kind of equipment (binoculars, telescopes, cameras, etc.) do you take along with you while birding? Swarovski 10 X 50 binoculars, Swarovski spotting scope, Nikon 4500 digital camera, Sony TCM 5000 and Sennheisser ME-66 cassette recorder and microphone, my PalmPilot with my bird lists on an Excel file.

4. Dear Abby:

a. What advice would you give to a new bird watcher? Memorize the field guide and local checklist, go with other birders

b. What suggestions would you give to a parent to help them encourage their children to become bird watchers? Introduce them to active birders who will take them birding. Get them a good bird book and take them to birding meetings, field trips and other events.