Bird is the Word: Meet the Masonic Village Birders Club

Ornithologists agree that are about 10,000 species of birds in the world – but how many are there at Masonic Village at Elizabethtown? The Masonic Village Birders Club is aiming to find out by creating a breeding bird list for the campus, which will map all the birds present and breeding at Masonic Village in any given season. The club meets the second Friday of every month to share bird knowledge, share bird stories and adopt birding ideas.

Lew Cressler and his wife, Anita, founded the club, which now has 22 members. So far, the club has mapped 77 species; 29 are breeding. Breeding bird lists classify bird sightings into five categories: abundant, common, uncommon, occasional and rare. Some of the most abundant birds on campus are also the most-well known (i.e., recognizable to non-birders): robins, house finches and, Lew’s personal favorite, chipping sparrows.

Anita and Lew have traveled all over the world and have seen interesting birds in every place. In Japan, they saw an Okinawa rail and a Pryer’s woodpecker – both extremely rare, now endangered, birds indigenous to that region only. Since coming to Masonic Village two years ago, they see more commonplace birds on a regular basis, but they still get an exciting sighting every once in a while.

“We’ve seen a Great Blue Heron, a Green Heron and a Pileated Woodpecker,” Anita said.

Membership in the Masonic Village Birders Club is open to all. To participate, there are only two things you really need (besides an interest in birds, of course):

Field guide

While some birds are distinctive or common enough that you’ll know right away when you see or hear one, others might be trickier, especially for those just delving into the world of birds. In these situations, it’s essential to have a field guide. Use a paperback guide, or one of the many reliable (and free!) field guide apps for smart devices.

Binoculars

One of the many differences between birdwatchers and birders is the necessity of binoculars. According to Lew, “your enjoyment of birding depends on how good your binoculars are.” He just purchased new binoculars – Eagle Optics, Ranger Model 1042 – upgrading from the 1050s that he and Anita were previously using to bird – thereby proving his own point.

About the author: Megan Hess, a senior from Messiah College, is a public relations associate at Masonic Villages.