Bird Watching for Mindfulness & Happiness
This year my bird count has been incredibly high, and it all started with a puppy! Having to take the puppy out for short but frequent bathroom breaks meant I was outside way more than I was before. We have had a dog previously, but were able to let it in and out without actually going outside- so this small act of having to get out more often was when it all started. One winter day, out in the hedge- a Golden Crowned Kinglet. Another time, by the same hedge- a pileated wood pecker. Walking the puppy down the road- a Barred Owl in a tree.
After the Golden Crowned Kinglet I started paying more attention, and I think that is the main key to your birding success. I have always noticed birds, but once I got few more rare ones under my belt, I got more into it.
Smokeless Breaks
Now not everyone can get a puppy! But can you pop outside a little more often? For the amount of time it would take a puppy to have a bathroom break. Not only is this good for your bird count, but for your health- a little mental health break- like a smoke break, minus the cigarette. And while out, just observe the trees, the grass, the water, the infrastructure. There is almost always a bird. And even if there isn’t, have you noticed the sky, the air, the weather? It is a mindful moment regardless.
Keep your bird friends on speed dial, and feel more connected
I have found some friends who are into birds as well, and even though there are numerous Apps and websites to help with bird identification- sometimes texting a friend a picture or a video is a good way to just simply reach out and have a conversation. It’s like asking for help when you know you can google it: sometimes it’s just a way nicer experience.
Gamify the experience with your kids
One perk of all those Apps and websites is that they are incredibly accessible and can open your awareness to a whole new level of awareness. We recently started using the “Sound ID” on the Merlin App, and were blown away but what we had around us. Using the “Sound ID” picks up the bird song, and shows you what you can hear nearby, without actually seeing it. We use this with the kids and it naturally starts training your ear and also “gamifies” birding, which for kids is always great. Once they get tuned in to those sounds, a new world opens up.
Find a “Sit Spot”
Is there somewhere you can sit daily and spend some quiet time- like on your porch, balcony or park bench? Spending some quiet time in a similar spot every day can help you notice patterns in nature, and maybe also some regular bird activity. Perhaps you will notice a bird continuously flying to one spot, and then realize it has a nest there, then see the babies fly out one day. And if you aren’t seeing birds, what do you notice? The sky changing, the leaves changing?
Hopefully by trying one or more of these methods your bird count will go up and your stress levels down. Happy birding!
This blog was originally published in North Simcoe Life in July 2023.
