It rained heavily this weekend, but I did manage to get some nice miles (35 beautiful ones) on the bike trail, early Saturday morning, before all the rain started. The rest (55 miles) of my weekend biking was on the bike trainer, which I have setup in my living room.
No doubt about it, biking indoors is a poor substitute for the real thing. What I miss most is hearing and seeing the birds out on the trail and the surprise and pleasure that comes with being able to pull off the trail, now and then,
binocular in hand, when I see a bird or a promising habitat. Biking is such a wonderful way to cover a lot of habitats and see a wide variety of birds. It allows a silent approach with a minimum of disruption and, of course, it is also an eco-friendly mode of transportation. You can carry a big
binocular if that's all you have, but I like an 8x
compact binocular, such as my
Leica Trinovid 8x20 to keep the weight down.
This weekend, I noticed that the blackbirds are beginning to show their fall roosting and flocking behaviors. It's one of the most visible and spectacular reminders that the seasons are about to change. Don't assume that these flocks are all comprised of the same species, however. A careful scan through the binocular will often show a mix of species. Grab a bike, a binocular, maybe a snack and hit the trail if you want to see the show.