BEGINNING TO LEARN ABOUT NATURE

Bird watching can be an easy way to start learning about nature and you don’t even need to go anywhere. Starting with a bird feeder and asource to identify birds in your area can fuel an interest in nature.It can even become competitive among family members trying toidentify the bird first or seeing more species.

Any type of wildlife identification is a good way to start either by buying identification books or using websites to help with wildlifeidentification. This information can then be used during a walk or ahike to understand more about the animals and plants that you see.Some guides can be more expensive depending on the quality and thedetail included. I would suggest starting with an inexpensive bookthat is limited to the area you live to help learn the basics and notbecome overwhelmed by the information, There are also free websitesthat can help identify birds, trees, plants, and other aspects ofnature. I have also noticed videos on line as well if that is moreyour learning style.

We use a squirrel proof bird feeder that is mounted on our 2^ndstory deck. Before switching over to the squirrel proof feeder, thesquirrels would clean out the feeder and the birds did not get muchof the food. It was comical to watch the mischievous little creaturesbut I don’t think the birds appreciated it. We were able to witnessseveral batches of baby cardinals learning how to use the feeder fromtheir parents as they squawked while perched on our deck railing. Wehave also been able to identify several species of birds such asgoldfinch, purple finch, Carolina wren, dark eyed junco, sparrow,black capped chickadee, and titmouse.

Installing bird houses is another way to attract birds. You can findplans online with specific dimensions for different types of birds.This past summer we had a eastern bluebird use one of our boxesattached to a very large tulip tree in our back yard. The parentskept us entertained when they would attack the squirrels who used thetree as well. A helpful link that provides specific measurements forbird houses is:http://99birdhouses.com/bird-house-hole-sizes-and-dimensions/.

I have also toyed around with the idea of putting in a bird bath. Iwill have to let you know how it goes when I get that done thisSpring.

To sum it up, a great way to start your nature adventure can be assimple as obtaining the following items:

1. Birdfeeder
2. Bird identification book or access to website
3. Bird houses
4. Other identification books such as one for plants, trees, animals, insects

Please feel free to leavecomments on your experiences or questions about my posts.