This past Saturday we went to Birdsong Nature Center in southern Georgia and learned some "Birding Basics" along with our friends Ben and Sheila.
Elliot and I bought some inexpensive binoculars for the occasion. We didn't spot very many birds during our walk, but the nature center has a room inside its main building that has one whole exterior wall made of glass-- a big window-- and it faces this fancy bird bath where they also leave lots of bird food. We saw all KINDS of bird at that "bird window"-- chickadees, cat birds, thrushes, cardinals, and many more that I can't remember.
It was really beautiful out on the trails at the nature center. Elliot and I definitely want to go back.
We had a fantastic time.
Elliot and I also decided to start bird watching on our own. We bought the Smithsonian Field Guide to the Birds of North America and we've been bird watching in our neighborhood. So far we've identified: mockingbirds, mourning doves, cardinals, a pair of blue jays, and today we saw a red-bellied woodpecker. We've seen lots of other birds, too, but haven't been able to identify them yet.
It's strangely fun to watch for and identify birds. When we see a new bird and find it in our field guide we get so excited. We saw a belted kingfisher on Sunday and practically did a dance when we found it in our book.
2 comments:
I had fun too!! Thanks for inviting us :-)
Elliot and Mary: I'm so glad you've become converts to watching and naming the birds you see. I can still remember going on a nature walk to see waterfowl on the coldest, frozen day in New England. Spotting eiders and mergansers and all kind of birds I'd never seen before helped me feel connected to the earth I inhabit. Day trips...St. Mark's Wildlife Refuge is a great place for shore birds. The boat that goes out at Wakulla Springs brings you into the midst of a birders paradise -- or so I'm told. I haven't been yet. Thank you for sharing your blog with me, Elliot. Peace, Robin
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