Last Saturday I had the amazing experience of participating in a Christmas Bird Count, sponsored by the Audubon Society. Join the Christmas Bird Count | Audubon The count is held the last couple of weeks of December and into the first week of January.
A couple of things about the count that I found amazing is how much fun you have while learning about the birds from knowledgeable people like bird experts, professional wildlife photographers, and more.
There is a lot to be said about being together with like-minded people from all walks of life. It reminded me of the story of how the Earth’s magnetic field was affected from the empathy felt around the world after the jets flew into the twin towers on 9/11, the same is true here.
Though I don’t think the Christmas Bird Count will cause the magnetic field to spike, it is along the same lines. When you gather people together for a singular purpose, it helps raise the vibration surrounding that purpose, and ushers in love and healing for that purpose. The birds of the world, like all of us, need that purpose of love and healing, and this a wonderful way to love and heal them.
What an exciting new tradition the Christmas Bird Count could be for all families, big and small. Finding a new way to give back to nature, while having Christmas fun doing it.
Families can share special experiences with the people they love while making new lifetime friends, along with remaining socially distanced and creating memories to last forever in your legacy at ebird.
The Christmas Bird Count is a great gift for the whole family and the only cost is the price of a decent set of binoculars (a minimum 10 x 42 was recommended to me), and a good field guide for your area (Sibley Birds East was recommended to me because I live in the Eastern part of the US).
Ebird also has an incredible app, Merlin, who helps you identify birds either from photos you take, or by the bird’s songs, amazingly these apps are free. Ebird also offers free courses to help you become a better birder, along with more advanced courses at a cost. So there is no limit to how far you can take your birding adventures.
After the initial investment in binoculars and a field guide, birding is free, and with ebird you can help Cornell University in tracking the trends of birds in your area. Where ever you go, the apps go with you, so essentially you can bird anywhere and everywhere, because birds are everywhere and anywhere you go.
So during this Holiday Season, I hope everyone everywhere is able to find some fun and peace going into this New Year, and why not celebrate with our bird friends, after all, we are all one family on one planet.
Carpe Diem new birders!!!
To everyone everywhere, Happy Holidays and a very special New Year.