Turns out birding may not just be a wonderful pastime, it could be so much more …..
Some of the best moments of my life have occurred during birding. That is not in any way meant to lessen the impact of the first time I gazed into my husband’s eyes, the first time I jumped from a high cliff into the lake below, those moments when we learned our first grandchild had been safely delivered into this world, or the first time the Philadelphia Eagles won a Super Bowl. But birding often brings together long periods of quiet moments – moments of joy, surprise, and the reassuring feelings that I get when I have a glimpse of how everything all fits together.
Birders all have their favorite ‘spots’ in which to watch for and observe birds. We are all drawn to different habitats – and our favorite habitats can change as we change. There are times I am drawn to the high desert. I never pass a wetland that I don’t want to stop and stay for some time just looking out over the tall reeds and grasses and watch the play of light on the water. A woodland trail always beckons me. And my experiences in these places are not complete if I do not have my binoculars around my neck.
Birding has made me a better person. It has developed my understanding of nature and how all these seemingly disparate life forms are all connected. How we are all merely variations of a theme.
And now it seems that what we birders have felt from the first day we became fascinated with birds is being backed up by science. What we always knew to be true is now being proved to be true.
*Birding Influences Brain Health and Mental Health
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The University of Illinois provides a wealth of free online seminars to everyone**. Here is one I took on identifying grasses. Here in the Midwest – and also on the Great Plains – many of us are surrounded by areas of grasses – both native, non-native, and some invasive. And to the untrained eye – ME! – they tend to look alike. Sort of like looking at a hedge full of little brown birds. The instructor is Erin Garrett who is just excellent. If you are interested in grasses – and it is amazing how many birds call grasslands, meadows, and prairies their home – then I recommend this seminar. It is in three parts:
Basics of Grass Identification and Woodland Grass Identification
Here are some birds who make their home in large fields of grass – tall and short – which can be mixed with other plants:
Happy Birding!
P.S. I added another plant to Landscaping and Gardening for Birds and Wildlife: Alliums – also called Ornamental Onions – (Allium spp.) If you have rabbit and deer problems, this could be the perennial for you. So many varieties from which to choose and the leaves, flowers, and their stems all have a strong onion flavor which is a natural deterrent to munching mammals and insects. One bite generally is more than enough to discourage the hungriest forager. Click here: Alliums or Ornamental Onions
*This article is from The Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. Click here for more information: Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology
**I live in Illinois and so am familiar with our state university – The University of Illinois. Every state has a big university and some states have several. If you know of any free online seminars or courses that are available to the public through your state’s universities, let me know and I will place the links on this website. We all need to keep learning! And sharing what we know and observe. Just click on any of the buttons throughout my website – there is one on the homepage of this blog – an email form will pop up, and you can type in the information.