It was a blustery Cape Cod morning near the seashore in Chatham, Massachusetts. The sky was overcast, the cool wind was piercing our jackets, and we searched the skies for a bird that was simply not around. There were eight of us, having assembled from almost as many states to this location where, we were assured, we would find a Eurasian kestrel.
Birders from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, New York, and Virginia-we didn't know each others' names, but we struck up conversations as if we had been confidants for some time. Yes, the bird, a male, had been seen here for a couple of weeks. Most mornings, at least, it had appeared on this stretch of beachfront and salt marsh on nearby telephone poles, powerlines, and rooftops, although it had disappeared for a few days previously.
This Eurasian kestrel was only the second ever seen in Massachusetts (the first one was in 1887). We looked at the likely roosting sites, and we looked at each other. After a good 40 minutes, we reluctantly came to the conclusion that the bird was elsewhere. But where? And who would dare break away from this "regular site" to do the searching? What if the bird appeared here once we scattered? Someone asked if there were any FRS (Family Radio Service) radios among us. In no time flat, four small handheld radios materialized from our cars, and we felt that it was safe to spread out to search for the kestrel as long as we had a plan to stay in radio contact. Our task was clear: Fan out but remain within about a mile of the original site. Check the nearby bluffs, harbors, and tall hedgerows. Leave one party patrolling the strip near the "regular" telephone poles. And most important, keep the radios on a common channel and subcode: 11/22.
We dispersed, secure in the knowledge that our four little groups were in radio contact. My friend Larry Underwood and I checked out the area around the headquarters of the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, not far away. We were there only about 15 minutes when a message crackled over our radio. The kestrel was not far from our original location, flying between a set of telephone poles and beach houses and roosting nearby. We all reassembled at the right spot, focusing on the site that had been broadcast over our radios. We were elated. The bird had indeed returned to the area, and we were all getting great views, thanks to our communication efforts, as the Eurasian kestrel moved from pole to house to tree. Our search had been made easier through radio communication, and we were rewarded.
My experiences with radios are not unique. Edge Wade of Columbia, Missouri, was visiting south Texas in July 2004. "We were at Sabal Palm Grove Sanctuary," she said. "More than 20 birders were there seeking the gray-crowned yellowthroat. At least eight had radios. This allowed us to spread out along the trail for about 250 yards. The bird was sighted by people on the far left end of the line. They announced its appearance by radio, and all but two birders were able to reach the place in time to see the bird. This would not have been possible without the radios."
Ralph Eiseman, from Chicago, says that the radios are better than the proverbial sliced bread for usefulness. They are particularly helpful in car caravans, he maintains. Eiseman also recently used the radio in the field, splitting birders into groups to search for and successfully locate a blue grosbeak at the Illinois Beach State Park.
The technology goes back almost a decade. In the mid-1990s the Federal Communications Commission assigned a short portion of the UHF spectrum for noncommercial and personal use. What emerged were FRS radios-and then later GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) radios. The little FRS units were the evolution of traditional walkie-talkies. The radios are small, handy, and effective for communications within about a two-mile range. (The range can vary greatly with terrain and atmospheric conditions. Most users find that the FRS radios will do a good job up to one mile.) Many FRS units have 14 channels and 38 subcodes, or privacy codes. No operator's license is required to operate these particular half-watt FRS radios. The palm-sized units are periodically used by birders who come together (planned or unplanned), often in car caravans, sometimes at birding hotspots, even at chase sites, such as this quest for the Cape Cod Eurasian kestrel, but the uses have evolved.
Don Crockett, a birder from eastern Massachusetts, says, "The most common use of the radios for me these days is when I'm out photographing or videotaping with other people. We'll often set up in blinds separated by 50 to 200 feet and use the radios to communicate bird activity and coordinate our activities."
A few years ago FRS radios were available mainly at quality electronics stores and specialty shops. Soon they proliferated, being found at sporting goods shops, toy stores, and the "big box stores," and the prices dropped dramatically. Today, FRS radios seem to be subsumed by newer, FRS/GMRS units, combining features of both systems. The FRS/GMRS units can have as many as 23 channels. These GMRS frequencies operate with more power (usually one or two watts, but even up to five watts) and a proportionately longer range. (These hybrid radios have some regular FRS frequencies for short range and the GMRS frequencies for longer distances. Birders should note that a license is required by the FCC for GMRS use; it costs $80 for a period covering five years.)
It's not uncommon to be able to buy a pair of acceptable FRS/GMRS radios on sale for $50 or less. Popular models originate from a number of companies, including Audiovox, Cobra, Midland, Motorola, Radio Shack, and Uniden. Depending on the models, these little wonders are powered by either three AA batteries, three or four AAA batteries, or rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries. (Don't forget to carry your spares into the field. Higher-power-and higher range-GMRS will gobble up power more quickly!)
Most of these radios can be tuned to compatible frequencies, but some companies have actually had different channels and subcodes assigned to identical numbers. For example, channel 9 and subcode 10 may not be the same on your radio as on mine. Moreover, even if just the subcodes are set differently on radios, when users are on the same compatible main channel, the radios will still not be able to communicate with each other. Review of user manuals-in stores or on the Internet-is advised.
The best FRS/GMRS radios come with multiple features, such as keypad lock, low battery alert, automatic scanning features, call alert (to announce incoming calls), roger tones (to confirm completion of transmission), and even a supplementary weather channel. These features are mainly a matter of taste, but birders should assiduously avoid any of the less expensive units still available that may lack the subcodes or have only one or two channels.
A few years ago birders from San Diego County, California, to Essex County, Massachusetts, began to settle on common regional FRS channels for communication. The American Birding Association (ABA) then had a panel make a recommendation for a standardized channel for possible common use coast to coast. Channel 11, subcode 22, was chosen for various reasons, mostly having to do with compatibility. According to Elise Faike, longtime FRS user from Idaho, "This common use of channels makes it easier to find other birders in whatever area you visit."
However, with the entrance of the newer FRS/GMRS units, active birders, such as some in Minnesota, have been using an alternate channel to take advantage of the more powerful GMRS quality and to use a set of frequencies that "overlap" better between FRS and GMRS frequencies. Bob Ekblad, from southeast Minnesota explains that, "many of the people with GMRS radios in Minnesota use channel 6, with subcode 6, which allows both FRS and GMRS to be used to communicate."
Because we may actually be witnessing a period of technological and equipment transition at this time, primary use of channel 11, subcode 22, with channel 6, subcode 6 as a back-up, is probably advisable for now.
Gail Mackiernan of Maryland has maintained that radio use is amazingly handy, but that, unfortunately, too many birders still prefer to shout and run after other birders in the field. She adds, "I wish more birders would use radios to reduce disturbance and increase our success rates in finding and sharing birds."
Indeed, adding FRS or FRS/GMRS radios to your standard birding gear can only help you scout birds in the field.
-P.B.