O Christmas Bird!
Blog vol 4.26. O Christmas bird!
When I was in university, we would jokingly say that we were taking a course in ornithology, a bird course, if it was real easy. I have to admit, after the rigours of our regular optometry program, it was a nice break to take something less demanding. Talking about birds… (what an awesome segue!)… there is a great substack called “Easy by Nature” by Bill Davison a bird enthusiast who takes amazing photos of all sorts of birds.
His most recent article was on birding over the Thanksgiving holiday (he is American). November is potentially a challenging time for birding, but the author’s enthusiasm and love for nature are irresistible. His photographs of birds and wildlife in this and his 23 other articles are truly beautiful.
Getting your kids and grandkids involved is so great. Being an optics guy and one who fits and prescribes telescopes and lenses for my patients, I could not agree more that getting some decent “bins” (binoculars) for your budding ornithologists is a good idea. There is so much to see when you are paying attention, right now, right in your backyard, yes, even in November/December.
Just last week in a patient exam, we discussed their recent birding expedition to the rain forests in Brazil. Their group cited 275 different species of birds on that trip, wow! the biodiversity in the tropics is astounding. Yet you can see a remarkable variety in your own backyard or on the many trails in the Hamilton region. Our family keeps a record of any bird that lands or lives or flies over our property. We write down its English name and its genus and species and are up to 50 species at last count, from the very common European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris ) to the more rare White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys). Some of our fly byes are the migrating Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) and the Canada Goose (Branta canadensis).
The takeaway is that whatever your age, wherever you live, you can find real enjoyment in birding and you can share that with so many others. Resources like Cornell University and their app, Merlin Bird ID, bring the experts along with you on your birding expedition. They can be quite informative. Some of my patients have bird lists that have over a thousand different species!! Obviously, they have gone beyond their backyard.
Do check out the “Easy by Nature” substack. I particularly enjoyed his Goldfinch photos, so lovely.
Do consider birding as a special family activity for the Christmas season. A bird feeder also provides great opportunity for watching your feathered neighbours. What Christmas birds live in your backyard?
Happy Christmas birding,
The good doctor
