The appeal of birdwatching

Bird watching is an experience you have to practice on either a large scale or a small scale as incidents happen. It is always amazing to see how well birds adapt to their human surroundings. Setting up a yard where birds feel comfortable is a beginning. To see all the familiar birds hanging around and doing their daily chores like hunting worms, singing, teaching their young to fly are all part of it. There is nothing like waking up in the spring with an open window and listening to the early risers like robins singing their hearts out. They generally are followed by smaller birds with crows in the back ground. Crows are such smart birds and make so many differing sounds and have so many ways of obtaining food. The early morning birds are so full of song even without that first cup of coffee.

If your yard is bird friendly, you may find birds that you do not see every day. Some just stop by on their normal migration. I have seen a number of tanningers for a while and then they were gone.

There is nothing like sitting near a pond and smelling the woodsy smells around a pond and listening to the red winged black birds or the quacking of mallards or watching the bigger birds of prey flying in to see what they can eat. To be near water and see the kingfisher on a branch and then dive into the water to emerge with food in mouth is a special thrill. They are such beautiful birds. Another great one is the blue heron, standing so tall and stately in the water just watching for what comes his way. These beautiful birds are so beautiful but once they fly away, you think you are seeing a pterodactyl due to the shape of their wings when flying. If you get near their rookery, you hear sounds that make you really think they are from the dinosaur family. It is so great to see these big birds line up on the beach just waiting as the tide goes out or comes in. Fish is on their menu for the evening. The robin with it’s cheerful voice is so refreshing and they are fun to watch after a rain or after doing yard work as they follow you around, a few feet behind, in case you have disturbed an earth worm.

In New Zealand, a couple years ago, it was so thrilling to see a kiwi for the first time. Then, we saw them night after night as we went out from our camp site. What an interesting bird. Then, to see the cute little South Island Robin, doing his little dance to encourage earth worms to come to the surface. The kia which is a kind of parrot was another bird to behold. They are not as colorful as the parrots we see in the pet store but they are very smart. These guys are very fun to watch. Another one I enjoyed was the wicca which is like a wild chicken. They were just there wherever you go.

Back home, it was nice to remember these birds from so far away, but they do not take away from the joy of seeing the birds in our own back yard that we see often. There is nothing like the curious humming bird. They get right in your face and watch you and then fly off like little helicopters to a branch close by so they can observe you some more. You kind of wonder with bird watching, just who is watching who! I feel I am watching the birds, but I think they are watching us.