Idaho Birds: Spot 'em, watch 'em, shoot 'em, smoke 'em, cook 'em and eat 'em

by James K. Sayre

One of the minor joys of life is to visit a thrift shop and find a hidden treasure. Recently, I visited an area thrift shop that last year had moved to less expensive digs. It took me over a year to motivate enough to find it; I finally had to resort to getting a personal set of directions. At long last, I found the shop, parked down the street and went inside. After a quick browse through kitchen ware and men's clothes, I moved on to their several shelves of books. Since I am both a bird watcher and a book collector, I instinctively grabbed for an older paperback book with the title, Guide to Idaho Birds, by Larrison, Tucker and Jollie, that was published by the Journal of the Idaho Academy of Science in 1967.

Older bird books are often much more interesting than the new guides, which are often quite stiff, formal and "scientific." Fewer little whimiscal anetdotes and personal asides. That evening, I examined my purchase more closely.After I flipped through the pages and scanned a few bird desciptions, I happened to see a four-page section near the front of the book called "Field Care and Preparation of Idaho Game Birds for the Table," that was devoted to hunting, killing, smoking, cooking and eating game birds. Well, that was a new one on me for bird book. This section was followed by a three-page section entitled, "A word to Backyard Birders," that gave information on what sort of seeds and other foods would be useful in attracting birds for observation. What would Roger Tory Peterson think?

by James K. Sayre

8 February 2005.

End.

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