…Based on Real Life!

By: Virginia Rose,
Founder of Birdability and Travis Audubon Board Member

1. Allow yourself more time than you think you will EVER need…famous last words!

2. Have a backpack big enough to carry a coffee mug, water bottle, insect repellent, sunscreen, field guide, bandana, wallet, gloves, an apple. Be sure the backpack isn’t so heavy that it pulls you over backward! Yeah…don’t ask. I use a Quickie Backpack for Sunrise, size small. Super durable and spacious. Available at various locations.

3. Attach a Quickie front pouch to your chair to hang under your knees to carry keys (two sets just in case) chapstick, pens, phone, bandaids, rubber bands, Swiss army knife, extra glasses, field battery, snacks.

4. Tubeless back tires eliminate the chance of flats in the field on a rough trail in 100 degrees trying to remain cool, calm and collected, but…I wouldn’t know anything about that!

5. Wider casters (front tires) help to manage more difficult surfaces.

6. Straps placed behind (and/or in front of) legs keep feet on the footplate. You don’t want to miss the bird fussing with your feet!

7. Go on or off sidewalks at a 90-degree angle (perpendicular) to avoid getting stuck.

8. If you can do and hold a wheelie, it helps to get through short sections of grass, mulch, and other tough surfaces. If you need help, ask someone to just help you manage the chair in a wheelie. Be sure you don’t go over backwards. Once I went over in very tall reedy grass with a little shriek; the tips of my shoes were all you could see of me!

9. Set a brake whenever you stop, THEN get on the bird! Otherwise, sure, I got the bird, but wound up halfway in the nearby creek!

10. Don’t be afraid to say kindly, “Excuse me,” and make your way to the front. Don’t take offense if people are oblivious. Just help them learn…and get yourself on the bird!

11. If you get stuck, don’t be afraid to ask for help.

12. Use gloves to save your hands if the wheeling is rough. I wear Rim Sports weight lifting gloves. www.rimsportsgear.com or 1 800-656-6817.

13. Keep checking the path in front of you. An acorn, stick, small rock or pecan shell can stop you in your tracks and keep you from getting the bird!!

14. If a bird blind is full, my advice is to enter, make your presence known, and if no one makes a move to make room, then exit and wait a few minutes outside. Watch for people to exit the blind and re-enter. At that point I would expect some people would exit to make room. If they do not, try to make your way to an accessible viewing window. If benches need to be moved and no one offers, ask.

15. If you encounter a gate that requires some maneuvering, and you can’t do it alone, ask for help.

16. If you encounter one small step and can’t do it alone, have someone help you. More than one step may be asking too much, depending.

17. To keep from chasing a hat on a windy day, I have a 24” cord with an alligator clip on either end; one goes on the hat and the other is on my shirt.