Hummingbirds flashed like luminous sparks among the dripping foliage and serious birders in camouflage gear grappled with telescopes and lenses.

With the peak of the semiannual bird migration about two weeks away, a visit to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge is a must for serious birders.

Cape May lies on a grand migratory path, offering marshes, wetlands and sanctuaries galore for serious birders.

FOR serious birders all over the Hudson Valley, the weekend before Christmas meant hard work, and not just the kind that involves pushing through the shopping mall.

The CaptureView's imaging chip produces only 300,000 pixels, for example, a resolution that may be O.K. for children's athletic events but too low to please serious birders.

Most of those who visited the area were serious birders, and the place was a protected wildlife sanctuary.

The spot, which is becoming a mecca for serious birders, is the tip of the eastern face of the building overlooking the East River at 68th Street.

But serious birders tend to identify most birds through sound, which is faster and easier, especially at night.

But Alaska isn't just for the serious birder.

In fact, the first time I encountered serious birders was on a cruise to Antarctica to see penguins.