Late winter in New England can be pretty brutal. Just when you think spring is on its way, a snowstorm will sweep through and bury you under a half foot. Last spring break, it snowed two feet and I lost power for three days. Add the stress of midterms and narrowing deadlines, and February-April can be a slog. Luckily, when I walk to class I hear little friends cheering me on from the treetops.
Living in the woods, birdwatching has always been a part of my life. Birdseed, binoculars, and books on New England birds were staples in my house. I learned how to recognize chickadees, juncos, and tufted titmouses. I would be in awe when I caught the call of a barred owl or a red-tailed hawk. As I grew up, I still enjoyed bird watching but it became background noise to me.
When I was home one summer, my dad showed me a new app he had downloaded. We were walking around and wondering what kind of bird we were hearing above us. He used the Merlin app from the Cornell Bird Lab. We were able to record the birdsong and identify it as a song sparrow. It was amazing to know exactly who was making this beautiful call and be able to learn more about the species immediately.
Back at school, I was really struggling with feeling disconnected from nature. I’m so used to having quiet, diverse forests around me that moving back to Newton was jarring. I felt like I didn’t have any avenues to connect to nature, especially when I could constantly hear the highway no matter where I went.
Walking to class one day, I noticed how loud the birdsong around me was. I had no idea what was making those noises, and I wanted to know. I pulled out my phone and opened Merlin. It immediately identified the noise as a blue jay (other birders out there know how obnoxious blue jay calls are). After that, I began regularly stopping on my walks to class to identify bird calls. I’m not so great at remembering what call goes with what bird so I end up identifying the same bird over and over. Sometimes I read up on the species, but more often than not I simply take a moment to enjoy this little connection to nature that has put a smile on my face. It gives me something to look forward to every day that brings simple joy into my life. It helps me stay present in the moment and enjoy my time on this wonderful planet.
A lot of people assume birding is either only for older people or scientists. I believe anyone can be a birder. You don’t even have to identify calls if you don’t want to. All you have to do is pause and take a moment to enjoy these little flying musicians.