I am a self-confessed bird nerd.
I love to watch birds, marvel at their colours, their ingenuity, their beautiful songs, their ability to fly!
One of my favourite aspects of spring is watching migrating birds return. The winter birds are soon joined by those who go south for the winter, as week after week, new species return north.
I get out my binoculars, I update my annual chart, I spend time in the yard watching them.
I talk to them.
Yep, that’s what I said. I caught myself talking to the first purple martins to arrive at our house. They return every year and it almost feels like the kids are home when they first arrive. As the first pair swooped overhead last week while I was in the garden, I actually looked up and said, “You’re home!” I’m sure the neighbours think I’m crazy.
I don’t appreciate some of the more invasive birds like the grackles (blackbirds) and the pesky sparrows, but nature looks after things and the birds sort it out.
I love to read about the different habits of birds, such as the ability of martins to return to the same birdhouse every spring, or what other birds use for nests, and what they eat.
When traveling, I am always on the lookout for new birds, and have seen many species in Mexico that we don’t have at home. I also see those who winter with us, and travel home the same time as us!
At home, we have a huge variety of birds in our yard and I love it. Some people are afraid of birds but I love what they mean – open space, colour, sounds of their songs, and eating bugs!
If you share my passion, or are interested in learning more about bird watching, there are many wonderful resources, on the internet, in the form of bird books, and even bird identification apps. Be sure to choose resources specific to your area. If you’d like to read more on bird migration, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology published this interesting article.
Happy birding!
theardizan 