For the birds
Everyone I know, here in Wisconsin, who has birdfeeders in their yards is reporting a lot of activity and that definitely includes me. Bill and I are doing a great job of supporting our local Wild Bird store, but I am not complaining. Before I married Bill, I lived in an apartment that did not allow bird feeders, although I cheated a bit and just threw some black oil sunflower seed in front of my patio window. This attracted some Juncos and a Mourning Dove, now and then and the usual bunch of House Sparrows - not much variety, but at least I had something to watch with my binoculars. It was definitely better than nothing. Just for the sake of old memories, I would even set up the spotting scope and remember better days. To be sure, the old adage that you don’t know what you have till it’s gone, is so true. After so many years of feeding birds and watching with my binoculars on a very active level, it really hurt not to do some birdwatching at my feeders.
Now that I am back to feeding birds in a serious way, I can’t believe I went so long without feeding birds. Sitting at my kitchen table, sipping coffee, binocular at the ready, is back to being an essential element of my daily routine. Yes, I even have the spotting scope setup, pointed at the bird feeders, so I can take pics - just like the old days. Bird watching of this sort hardly qualifies as aerobic exercise, to be sure, but it is one of the best ways I know reduces stress, not to mention being a lot of fun. Not sure if anyone has done a study on the therapeutic effects of watching birds at a feeder, but it sure works as therapy for me.
CE Webster: 11:09 AM )