I love birds, and bird watching. As I watch the birds, I can tune out all the city noise as I sit quietly in a green space, slowing my breathing so as not to disturb the birds. Would they even hear my breathing? Probably not!
I try to relax, and let nature envelop me….
It was during one of these moments, as I sat “bird watching,” at Brackenridge Park in San Antonio that the words of a poem crossed my mind. I had heard the words countless times.
But what did it mean, “How do I love thee?”
An online search for the meaning of the poem I was thinking of led me to one analysis, “love transcends earthly bounds.” But what does that mean?
One definition for Earthbound is, “located on or restricted to land or to the surface of the earth.” Birds as we know have a remarkable ability to fly, gliding through the air with grace and ease.
The poem that came to mind is, “How do I love thee?”
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of being and ideal grace.”Sonnet 43 by Elizabeth Barrett Browning 1806-1861.
What is Love? The definition for Love is: “to like or enjoy very much!”
I love and enjoy Birds – Bird Watching as do so many others that share their joy for our feathered friends with the world. Sharing the beauty of the birds through their photography, blogs, artwork, and films. If only I could travel the world like the others, but I must admit, embarrassingly, that I am afraid to fly!
Perhaps in my next lifetime I will soar like a Great Egret to some destination far to the south. But for the time being I will enjoy the birds through the lens and stories of my fellow Bird Lovers.
According to research by Dr. Daniel Cox of the University of Exeter, “research suggests that observing nature can lower the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress of an individual. Dr. Cox explains that “birds around the home, and nature in general, show great promise in preventative health care, making cities healthier happier places to live.”
“How do we love thee”- the Birds that is,
Well, we Bird lovers, AKA “Bird Watchers” – we just dive in, camera gear and all! We walk, we hike, run – maybe, kayak, boat, swim…hmmm. We trudge into deep forests, wetlands, brave the rain and wander into places that most would consider “scary or dirty.” But, oh, the Birds we capture on film!
Jack Rogers – “I have always loved nature and after being introduced to photography by a high school friend, I eventually began to combine these interests to capture images that I could share with family and friends. During my career as a college professor, I used my images to introduce my students to the beauty and wonder of the natural world. I have also donated the use of my images to conservation organizations to support the preservation of the beautiful places I visit to do nature photography.”
Jack continues, “I have especially grown to love watching and photographing birds. They are beautiful subjects but also very interesting. It gives me great satisfaction to learn about them as I observe their activities, which also allows me to anticipate their behavior and be ready for the peak moment of action to capture “the shot”. Today I continue to share my images through social media and in my online galleries and by speaking at local community groups and camera clubs. My goal is to show my fellow citizens how beautiful and precious the natural world around us is and how important it is for us to preserve these areas for future generations.” Find more here:
Bird watching brings people together, and like birds of a feather, we flock together…
Judy Lehmberg is a former college biology teacher now following her passion for wildlife filmmaking. “I want everyone to love, share, and protect all of nature as much as I do!” You can follow her films here.
According to Judy, “the resplendent quetzal is a Central American bird in forested areas at around 7,000′ and higher. Its favorite food is wild avocados that are not something farmers want to grow because they are much smaller than the grocery store variety. The neat thing about that is bird watchers, especially bird guides, will pay to see and photograph this bird so the farmers leave the wild avocados alone and make some money. I made 3 trips to Costa Rica and 1 to Panama before I saw one, so it is certainly the bird I paid the most money to see, and it was worth every penny.”
Why love Birds?
Love Song to my Avian Kin
Malmoud Darwish wrote,
“Where should the birds fly after the last sky?”
As I ponder his words, I pray,
“Just take me there…”
Kamala Platt January
Birds – They make our hearts flutter, and they ignite passion, and appreciation as we watch them do their thing, fluttering, squawking, or just perching quietly in a tree. All that colorful stuff packaged in a blanket of fluffy feathers that make them just too hard to resist watching and photographing, poop and all!
Birds are vital to ecosystems, both wild and those managed by humans. We rely on birds for pest control, habitat maintenance, and plant pollination.
Birds are a part of our life’s work, our family heritage, our legacy. Birds are our subject we use to create art, mementos, and books. We have businesses to teach photography, guide fieldtrips and expeditions to find that “rare” bird in other countries. The Birds give us an excuse to gather with our friends!
Where can you find the Birds?
You can find up to date sightings of many species at eBird “Hot Spots.” “eBird is among the world’s largest biodiversity-related science projects, with more than 100 million bird sightings contributed annually by eBirders around the world. A collaborative enterprise with hundreds of partner organizations, thousands of regional experts, and hundreds of users, eBird is managed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.”
In fact, “Wildlife watching proves to be immensely popular; 146.5 million people viewed wildlife at home while 73 million traveled to watch wildlife,” according to Martha Williams Director, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
I visited Port Aransas Nature Preserve recently, a “Hot Spot” where you can find a treasure trove of avian species, along with others like me, “Bird Lovers,” photographers, educators, families with their children, and nature lovers all enjoying the view at Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center.
According to Rae Mooney, City of Port Aransas’s trail tracker shows that there are about 63,000 visitors a year! Mooney goes on to say that their major event is the Whooping Crane Festival in February.
She stated that a report by the tourism bureau shows that birding and ecotourists are spending a lot of money in town. You can find out more about birding Port Aransas here:
At the Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Center there are shorebirds, waterfowl, and waterbirds-Egrets and Herons, Roseate Spoonbills, American White Pelicans, Cormorants, Black-necked stilt, Pied Billed Grebes, one infamous Flamingo, too many Birds to name!
We have so many thoughts to share on why we love the Birds!
Greg Hall is a former award-winning, small town Texas newspaper columnist…who re-engaged his craft back in 2019. He uses a positive perspective, humor and personal observations to connect with readers from all walks of life. His uplifting short stories have appeared in journals, college publications, online and print magazines and throughout social media. He infuses his appreciation of the outdoors throughout his short stories and wild birds are often the major or minor theme in his writing. Along with his wife Stephanie, they have turned their property into a habitat for the many birds that visit their area of north Texas.
In one blog, Greg shares how, “Each year the Purple Martins transform my backyard into an aerial amphitheater…a stage without boundaries. From my patio, I have a front row seat to one of the greatest shows on earth. With God as their playwright, my talented visitors act out their lives right in front of my eyes.” Read his full blog here :
Greg Hall poetry,
“The wild birds…they always find me.”
“Well above the hustle and bustle, a colorful Rock Dove stares back at me through the tinted glass of a twenty-story high, Manhattan hotel.
Hopelessly trapped in an infamous Houston traffic jam…my peace is restored by a majestic Red-Tailed Hawk soaring through the cloudless skies above.
Perched just outside my Ellis County bedroom window, a brave Bewick’s Wren sings me awake the morning after a terrible Springtime Texas thunderstorm.
Untethered and free…upon their feathered wings…they carry peace to me in the most tumultuous of times.”
Renate Grupp loves to travel through the Americas to find new and different species. She is a Published Wildlife and Nature photographer using Canon gear!
Renate Grupp, “I have loved birds and all animal species since I was a little girl. Being in nature and watching its beautiful creatures gives me happiness and peace. The world would be empty to me without them. As a photographer I try to convey what I feel when I watch these wise and innocent beings.
Kamala Platt, PHD of San Antonio, is a Professor- writer extraordinaire who shared how she found love in San Antonio, “Soon after I first moved to San Antonio, I was invited to paint birds for San Anto’s “Barrio Jungle” mural (at El Paso and San Jacinto’s intersection) and I drafted white herons alongside quetzals and hummingbirds. After I’d been in San Antonio long enough to know I was home.” Read more here:
Poem by Kamala Platt, PHD
“Love Song to my Avian Kin, Malmoud Darwish wrote, where should the birds fly after the last sky?” “As I ponder his words, I pray, just take me there…” January 23, 2025
A lifetime: I have “watched” birds for most of my life, as have many of my newfound friends who are inspired by nature and the birds here in the United States and abroad.
You can say I live vicariously through those that travel the world, such as Greg Lavaty, among a few.
Greg Lavaty, “This Red Warbler is one of my favorite birds and is endemic to the mountains of Mexico.”
Greg Lavaty, “I’ve been photographing birds for the past 25 years. I find birds to be beautiful in so many ways; from their vast array of colors to their beautiful curves and graceful way of moving and their stunning variety of vocalizations. I started doing photography because I wanted to share this beauty with others so they could see a little of these treasured creatures through my eyes. In the time that I have been paying attention to birds their numbers have been rapidly decreasing globally. I hope my photos can help inspire others to appreciate the richness that birds bring to our world and help move people to protect them and their habitats. It would be a horrible shame if my photos end up being a memorial to something we once had.”
Always Watching: Bird watching is constant. We follow the birds through the changing seasons, following their life cycles, and watching them as they forage for food, perch in a tree or gather to breed. We watch them as they build their nests, sit on nests filled with eggs, then raise their young, and then we bid them farewell.
During breeding season, we can witness nature at its finest as birds display for a mate. They show off their frilly feathers, bowing down to curtsy. I can almost hear them saying, how do you do my dear as they begin the courtship to successfully breed and to raise their offspring. We watch as the birds nuzzle and caress each other, and our love for them grows.
Daniel Riddle, a Bird Photographer loves Birds which he shares on his Facebook page, “Bringing awareness to the public about the natural world.”
Daniel shared, “I love all wildlife, but birds hold the top spot in my heart for several reasons.” “They are the epitome of life; they go on each day no matter what. They can have a missing limb and still go on about their everyday business as if nothing’s wrong.”
Sadly, our birds are at risk of disappearing before our very eyes without our help.
According to a United Nations report, “On at-risk fauna and flora, the study asserts that human activities “threaten more species now than ever before.” World is ‘on notice’ as major UN report shows one million species face extinction | | UN News
How do we love the Birds?
Through conservation of course. And it begins with you and me!
This month is the 28th anniversary of the Whooping Crane Festival in Port Aransas that celebrates the recovery and conservation efforts to protect and save Whooping Cranes from extinction. This effort involves many partners from around the world. Information about the festival here:
What is conservation?
Bird Conservation is a field in the science of conservation biology related to threatened birds.
According to learnbirdwatching.com, “Birds play a crucial role in maintaining the delicate balance of ecosystems worldwide. Their conservation is not just about protecting individual species; it’s about safeguarding biodiversity as a whole. Read the full article here:
A legacy of Love:
The Whooping Crane is the tallest bird in North America and is among our rarest birds. The species declined to around 20 birds in the 1940s but, through captive breeding, wetland management, and an innovative program that teaches young cranes how to migrate. Find more here:
Oh, how we love these Birds!
Endangered Whooping Cranes.
An Endangered species is any species that is at risk of extinction because of a rapid decrease in its population or loss of critical habitat. About ninety-nine percent of threatened or endangered species are at risk because of human activities. Some of the threats the birds face includes habitat loss and degradation, along with global warming.
The Whooping Cranes breed in the wetlands of Wood Buffalo National Park in northern Canada and spend the winter on the Texas coast at Aransas National Wildlife Refuge near Rockport, about a 2500-mile journey. The Cranes summer and nest in wetlands in Canada’s Northwest Territories at Wood Buffalo National Park reported to be a 543 North America population (836 Worldwide 2022). You can learn more here:
It takes a Village:
As the saying goes, it takes a village! And it will take a village the size of most of the world’s population to protect our disappearing forest lands, wetlands and critical habitats that birds need for breeding, food and water sources and shelter.
“The role of non-profit organizations has been key to raising human awareness of conserving bird populations since the formation of the National Audubon Society in 1905,” said Richard Gonzales, Founder of the Science and Spanish Club Network, SSCN, a coastal environmental education after school program targeting grades 6-8 based in Aransas Pass, Texas about 45 miles south of the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.”
“Non-profits happen when human energy comes together with like-minded individuals with the same end goal….for the SSCN, saving habitat for the migratory Whooping Crane has been our end goal.”
“In fact, the SSCN is one of a growing number of non-profits participating in both the Port Aransas Whooping Crane Festival and the newly established Northern Whooping Festival held in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada, next to Wood Buffalo National Park.”
“It is most significant that the Thebacha Leadership Council of Fort Smith has decided to connect more people by following the migratory Whooping Crane North to South, Canada to Texas.”
What can you do to help birds?
You can help birds by learning about conservation. Get involved as a citizen scientist, join a likeminded group or organization. It is important to protect the future of birds.
With Love from the Birds and Bird Lovers of the World!
Alesia Garlock
Wildlife / Environmental Advocate! I fight to protect nature. Informing the public of hidden agenda!
Leave a Reply