Cents-Able Recreation - Bird Watching

It's important to do things for enjoyment, and for fun!  We have found all sorts of things we enjoy doing, and many of them are low-cost or free.

Mountain Bluebird

One activity we really enjoy is bird-watching.  Daughter took an interest in birds and ornithology a few years ago, and it has turned into a family activity.

Western Bluebird, Juvenile

There are some supplies associated with bird watching.  We found field guides at the library, the Friends of the Library sale, and used book stores.  Binoculars add a lot to bird watching.  We had a pair that my parents gave us years ago, as well as a pair we'd purchased a few years before this was an interest of Daughter's.

Cornell University has an amazing website for bird lovers.  It features photos, recorded calls, and lots of information for identifying species.  Our local Audubon Society welcomes visitors, and we have attended a few of the programs that fit with our schedule.

The orange was going to get tossed at work - it was kind of shriveled.  The birds are loving it!
Female House Finch

Mixed Flock - Starlings and Red-Winged Blackbirds

Having bird feeding stations set up means that we attract some birds to us.  We started out with a family Christmas present - a feeder and pole and some bird feed.  We added a suet cage and some homemade items, such as a platform feeder and a space where we put out water (in a glass pie plate) in warm weather.  We have picked up a couple of second-hand feeders as well, and made a few from recycled materials.

Mourning Doves

Mostly, bird watching is about getting out and watching birds.  A friend mentioned a lake near our home where there are many opportunities to bird watch, and we've been going there every now and then to observe and photograph the birds.  There is a park in our little town that has a marshy area, and we usually find birds there as well.  We've also discovered a Great Horned Owl's favored tree, and we look for her any time we are near.  When we go to the mountains to hike, when we go to the nature center, or even when we're just out for a walk, we look for birds, try to identify them, and observe their behavior.

We call her Noctura.  :)

Noctura is a Great Horned Owl

We recently learned about Cornell University's Citizen Science Programs, and we think they would be a great way to become further involved in the birding community.  There are membership fees associated with these programs, so they may not work for everyone, but it appears the fees are per household, and not per person, so it could be quite affordable, too.

American Kestrel

Red-Tail Hawk (we think!)

It might sound a bit dry to some, but we have really come to enjoy bird watching.  It's helped us learn more aobut habitats in our area, as well as how various species are interconnected.  It can be free or low cost, and we really find it rewarding.  If you are looking for something to do that's both interesting and affordable, you might give bird watching a try!