Four Boys on a Birding Adventure

Team Birds of a Feather in 2006

Why would anyone walk through the woods in the Georgia heat for a straight 24 hours? Four young men from LaGrange have the answer to that question: to be a birding champion. Their love for birds prompted them to hike the dense, forested mountains, wade the marshes, and trek along the expansive coast of our great state—and represent LaGrange/Troup County well in the process.

Ben and Brian Hays, sons of Michael and Dawn Hays, and Knox and Colin Evert, sons of David and Molly Evert, met when they were four, five, and six years old. They became quick friends and discovered their shared passion for birds.

“My family was completing the Apologia science study, Flying Creatures of the Fifth Day, when we met the Hayses,” reported Knox. “We wanted to compete in the Youth Birding Competition, and Ben and Brian were interested.”

Each year in April, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources hosts a competition for children ages

4-18 to bird as much of the state as they want. Competitors follow the honor system in identifying as many species of bird by sight or sound as they can during that time. Each team must consist of at least four members. They may begin their birding at any spot within the state and may bird anywhere they want within the state boundary. The finish line is at Charlie Elliot Wildlife Refuge in Mansfield.

“We thought the idea of competing with our friends was great,” added Ben. “My family had just moved to Georgia, so it was a good chance for us to make new friends and explore our state.”

Dawn and Molly formed a birding club for the boys, and they met at one of their houses at least once per week. During their club time, they played games to help them learn how to use binoculars, to improve their ability to recognize birds, and to memorize bird songs and calls. In all, they memorized over 200 bird songs.

“One of our favorite games was ‘Bag of Birdies’!” explained Knox.

“Yes,” added Ben, “we all collected Audubon plushies. Each one looked like a real bird and contained a sound chip with a recording of the bird’s song.”

“When you would squeeze it,” Knox continued, “the song would play.”

“My mom, “Ben continued, “would put ten of the plushies in a pillowcase. She would reach in, squeeze the toy and have us guess which bird. Then, she would pull it from the pillowcase to reveal the bird and let us know if we were right or wrong.”

“We were mostly right,” laughed Knox.

The practice paid off. The families registered for the competition as Team Birds of a Feather. They began their 24-hour quest on the Georgia coast—at the Golden Isles. They identified birds on Jekyll and St. Simons Islands and then visited the wetlands in Darien to increase the diversity of birds available for them to locate.

“It was mosquito-filled,” Ben stated.

“Yes, we had to wear netting not to be eaten alive,” Knox added.

From the coast, they moved inland to Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge with a specific objective.

“Piedmont is the only spot in the Southeast where Red-cockaded Woodpeckers live. They are an endangered species and a rarity,” Knox explained.

While at Piedmont, not only did they identify the woodpecker, but they also identified every warbler that can be found in Georgia.

“We studied warblers extra hard,” Ben explained. “They sound remarkably similar and are often difficult to spot because they are so small and tend to stay high in treetops. We knew learning them would help us to identify them quickly and without having to find them visually. We also knew it would give us an advantage.”

It most certainly did. By the time Team Birds of a Feather reached the finish line, they had identified 164 birds. The state record, held by an expert (and adult) birder, is 189. The boys were recognized during a banquet for their exceptional score and overall contributions to the world of birding. Brian Hays earned first place in a bird-themed art competition for his age division and received a coffee table book of brilliant bird photos as his prize. Ben Hays won the bird journaling competition for his age division and received a leather-bound journal for his efforts. Knox and Colin won first place overall for fundraising for the conservation effort of their choice: the American Bird Conservancy. They received binoculars. The four boys together won 1^st place for the number of birds spotted in their age division and 1^st place for the number of birds spotted by a rookie team. Each of them received a new pair of binoculars, a spotting scope, a field guide, and other birding equipment for their efforts. Each boy left the competition with over $300 in prizes.

How did they feel about their win? Ben summed it up well. “It was a long, hard day that followed months of hard work and dedication. We won the prizes, but best of all, we made memories with our best friends while enjoying God’s creation. It was the greatest day ever!”