Birding

In this previous post, you can read why I don't like birds very much.

But, all that is changing.

Nathan has many interests, including learning about birds and bird watching. At first I resisted learning very much, but he's so excited about it that he just draws me in. The whole family now enjoys looking for and observing birds. Even Brigham can identify hummingbirds and woodpeckers.

Earlier this summer, at our first trip to Meijer Gardens, we were exploring the sculpture park and came upon some crab apple trees. We saw a flutter of wings and without missing a heart beat Nathan identified three cedar waxwings, having never observed them before. That's when I began to realize just how dedicated a birder he was becoming.

I only caught the tail-end of this Cedar Waxwing as it flitted away. (Click the picture for a closer look)

Our recent trip allowed us to see some birds that we haven't seen before.

We observed these sandhill cranes (click on photo and look closely!) on a little train ride straight into the wilderness.

Piliated woodpecker

Our most exciting bird find on our recent trip was this piliated woodpecker and the unique rectangular holes drilled into the tree trunks. Piliated woodpeckers are listed as rare to uncommon as they need such a large territory.

Nathan has spent the summer dreaming up ways to attract more birds to our yard. He's got a stockpile of ideas to use in the future. He's also checked out over 20 books about birds and pored through them. He's built a little bird area of his own in the backyard (with food, water, branches etc.) and designed and built a bird feeder, inspiring Sariah to build one herself! My one peeve in all of this is the bird seed strewn around the house and yard, imagining the vermin that could be attracted!

Baltimore Oriole in the backyard

The birds in our own yard seem to have settled down. The white-breasted nuthatches and orioles that were skittish at the beginning of the summer, now just sit around and wait to be observed before flying off! We've got a juvenile cardinal that's been hanging around the last few days. I like watching him make his way in the world!