Snow Geese, headphones and birding with autism
Nicole with Kai, a Common Grackle she works with. Says Nicole, “He was brought in as a fledgling who fell out of his nest, and because he is imprinted on humans he is unreleasable. He's super fun and sociable and I love spending time with him!”
Being autistic has shaped my birding identity and experience much differently than the way most others experience birding. Being an autistic birder can be both a blessing and a curse. For example, I struggle to go birding in busy places, observe noisy birds, travel far from home, and go birding in a group with other birders. However, being autistic gives me certain strengths as well. I am incredibly patient, notice behavioral patterns others might miss, and hyper-fixate on research for hours on end. I have exceptional senses of sight and hearing, and because of this I am often told that I am a valuable asset in a birding group. My sensory sensitivities might make it difficult to go birding in overwhelming environments, but it also means I can be a great spotter: I often notice birds well before others because my hearing and eyesight are so sensitive.
There are countless auditory factors that can make a birding experience overwhelming. Other people (especially in a busy place), traffic from a nearby road, wind, airplanes overhead, wave action at the beach, and even the very birds that I am trying to watch. I love all birds, but some, like Blue Jays, Carolina Wrens and Northern Cardinals, can be quite overwhelming with their loud and nonstop calls.
It is important to note that my threshold for sensory input is always different and can depend on many other things. Additional stress from a long drive, being in a strange place, or having to interact with other people mean I can be even more sensitive to overwhelming situations. For example, I am likely to become overwhelmed much faster in a strange place if I had to drive far to get there, as opposed to a local patch I am familiar with.
Nicole’s collection of headphones. Photo: Nicole Neigel.
In a situation where I am overwhelmed by auditory input I often choose to put on headphones. Sometimes I will use a pair that only muffle the noise, but usually I choose to play music and block it out completely. This can be very frustrating because I know I must be missing out on all the birds I would normally be finding by ear. But in these situations I have two options: wear headphones and miss half the birds, or simply leave and miss them all.
Needless to say, I would rather wear headphones and be able to enjoy some birds than leave and see none. I have at least one pair of headphones on me at all times because I never know when an overwhelming situation will arise. I keep multiple pairs in my car and at least one pair in my backpack too; this ensures I am always prepared for any potential overwhelming environments.
Recently I took a trip to witness a large flock of overwintering Snow Geese at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Pennsylvania. When planning this trip, I already knew it would be the loudest and most overwhelming birding experience I’d had. If I can be overwhelmed by just a few Canada Geese, I couldn’t even imagine what a flock of 17,000 Snow Geese would be like. Plus, I would be arriving to Middle Creek after the longest and most stressful drive I had ever attempted, so I was sure to already be on edge before even getting out of the car.
As usual, I arrived at the refuge well before dawn. I do this anytime I go birding at a busy place because it allows me to park and get settled without the added stress of crowds and other people. This strategy is generally very effective, and thankfully I was the first to arrive.
I found the birds fairly quickly by following the sounds of their calls. As it was still very early, most of the birds were quiet and it was nice to hear the calls from the early risers before the noise level inevitably rose. I walked in the dark down to the water, relishing in the quiet and peacefulness before the crowds began to show and the rest of the birds awakened.
I found a spot to sit, and soon the lake came alive with constant honking from the geese. As the sun began to rise, other people began to trickle in and I decided I had heard enough. The geese were now all awake and the sound was deafening. Adding the noise of the other people, it was overwhelming and painful to listen to. I put on my headphones and played some music to drown out all the noise. This is the point where, had I not been prepared to block the noise, I would have had to leave. But, with a comfortable spot on the edge of the crowd and headphones to block the noise I was able to sit and enjoy watching the giant flock of geese for hours.
Snow Geese at Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, Pennsylvania.
Photo: Nicole Neigel.
Once the sky was lit and I could clearly see all the birds on the lake, it was obvious that all the struggles I had dealt with were well worth it. 17,000 geese was an absolutely incredible sight and I soon forgot about the difficult drive and my busy and unfamiliar surroundings.
Birds are the only thing that are worth pushing my boundaries to the extent that I do. There is nothing else that I would drive six hours straight for, and absolutely nothing else would be compelling enough to make me sit among a very busy crowd of at least 200 people. But the birds made it all worth it, and I am so glad that I pushed my limits that day to visit Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area.
