“I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a
moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt
that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I
should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.”
~Henry David Thoreau
When my grandfather’s house was sold several years ago, I took in all his shepherds hooks, bird feeders and bird houses and have so enjoyed watching their beauty and simple little lives.
My father also enjoys the birds and since his retirement, he enjoys building birdhouses of all shapes, sizes and colors. Over the years, he has gifted me quite a few and I have them hung and mounted around my yard.
Watching the birds is almost like meditation for me.
I become transfixed gazing at all of their meticulous habits. In fact, did you know that bird watching is the second fastest growing hobby in America, just slightly following gardening? It’s really not that surprising to me.
First of all, it’s just FUN. Grab some binoculars and head out for a walk. Just about anyone can do it; plus you can get some exercise in the process. And really, you don’t even need to venture out of your own backyard.
Home-bound or live in an apartment? No problem. You can place a bird feeder on a windowsill and enjoy bird watching with little to no effort. Have you seen those really cool bird houses with the clear back that you can attach to the window? Those are so cool! The birds can’t see you through the clear back but you can see them. When the mama birds hatch their eggs, it is so neat to watch.
Anyway I came across this poem this morning from Elizabeth Cheney about birds that puts Matthew 6:26-27 in such a neat perspective and wanted to share it with you.
Said the robin to the sparrow, “I should really like to know,
Why these anxious human beings rush about and hurry so.”
Said the sparrow to the robin, “Friend, I think that it must be,
That they have no Heavenly Father such as cared for you and me.
This is a good reminder to me that God knows every need we have (just like He does with the birds) and He takes care of those needs in perfect timing.
Want to attract birds to your yard? It’s easy! Just supply a few things to create an environment that the birds will not be able to resist.
You can attract birds by placing bird feeders, nest boxes, and bird baths in your yard, and by planting a variety of trees, shrubs, and flowers. These can provide good nesting sites, winter shelter, places to hide from predators and natural food supplies that are available year-round.
There are a few different ways to attract wide varieties of birds to your yard. These can include planting certain flowers, installing a bird feeder, or putting out a bird bath.
You can do backyard birding and attract birds to your yard by providing appropriate food, water, and habitats for wild birds, and limiting use of pesticides. Bushes and dense hedges protect birds from predators, provide perches, and are home to insects, which are great bird food.
Colorful flowers also attract hummingbirds. They are great fun to watch!
Want to try your hand a mixing up your own bird food? Try the recipe I like to use:
Mix 1/2 cup suet, lard, or vegetable
shortening with 2 1/2 cups cornmeal or uncooked oats until
well blended. Optional: add dried fruit (chopped up),
chopped nuts, and/or 1/4 cup finely chopped leftover meat
(use meat only in cold weather).
And don’t forget to supply a birdbath
Kindness is a birdbath. Your little circle of clean, cool water under a leafy branch is a kindness to the birds, because fresh clean water can sometimes be the hardest necessity for birds to come by. And you and your family will LOVE watching the birds at the birdbath.
If you want to become more serious about bird watching, it really can be a great hobby. Below are a few things you might want to pick-up to get started.
WHAT EQUIPMENT DO YOU NEED?
- Binoculars
- Field Guides – A field guide is a little book that’s packed with information about birds.
- Field Guide Organization – Field guides, just like dictionaries and phone books, are ordered according to a precise system that determines where different birds are located in the book.
- Notebook – What do you want to jot down in your notebook? Birds you have seen, where you saw them, what they looked like, what they sounded like, etc. When you record these observations right when you see (and/or hear) them, you will be able to better reflect on your experience later on.
- Camera or phone with photo capabilities
Bird watching is something I truly enjoy doing. It doesn’t matter your age or level of physical fitness. Anyone can do it. And it doesn’t matter where you live – in an apartment, townhouse or single family home, in the city, suburbs or country. Just stand still and you’ll hear them: wild birds. They are all around us.
Do you enjoy bird watching? Thinking you may like to start? Let me know your favorite birds to watch. I would love to hear from you!
Here are some photos I took back in the spring of some beautiful blue bird eggs. The color is absolutely stunning!
And here are the precious little, hungry baby birds:
Watching mama bird and daddy bird, all spring, meticulously care for those eggs and newly hatched little babies, was such a FUN joy to witness.
Bird watching is a great hobby to do as a family! It is something your children or grandchildren can enjoy all of their lives.
If you want some other fun ideas to do as a family, check this out. ⇒ CLICK HERE
Well, I guess that’s it for now. I hope you have a fantastic week! Remember to stay safe and healthy! And don’t forget to HAVE FUN!
XOXO,
