Bird Watching - The New Hobby!

I should say, Bird Watching - The New Hobby, for me.

I was looking for something new to do for my upcoming birthday celebration.
I wanted something different, something that I enjoyed, not too strenuous.  Did I mention I was looking for something new?

 A colleague forwarded me the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society newsletter - for Nature Education and the Conservation of Wildlife which mentioned the "Bird Watch Hike" held on the day of my birthday.  It sounded great.  It was held at Towsley Canyon,  the perfect distance away.

Louis, my bf and I, started early Saturday morning.  Since we had already committed to it, I was not going to let us back down.  We have a history of flaking on things like these.

We were one of the first to arrive. Already there was Roger, wearing white sneakers, khaki pants, a white polo shirt, and a hat that matched his pants. On his shoulders rested an amazing camera with a lens that would reach out and capture birds miles away.  The camera was supported by a sling.

About 10 people gathered at the parking lot of Towsley Canyon that Saturday morning.   I noticed everyone was dressed very appropriately for the hike, except, of course, Louis and I.  We both were wearing sweat pants and a t-shirt. Everyone else was equipped with snacks, UV Ray repellent gear.

I was surprised that almost as soon as we started the hike the group stopped.

I turned and saw a flock of bird watchers calmly looking through binoculars at a small avian hidden from the eyes of the uninterested jogger or hiker, but for us, it stood out.

The pace of the walk was slow, just perfect enough to stop along the way.  Someone would point and we would all gather around trying to find the bird within the trees.  "It's at one o'clock, from the dead branch in front of us" someone would share.  All of our interested eyes peeked through our binoculars to discover what kind of bird would take the time to show itself off to us.

Picture from San Fernando Valley Audubon Society -  House Finch

I would point when I saw what seemed like an insignificant sparrow.  We would stop, raise our binoculars to our eyes and enjoy it's splendor.

I got to see one of my favorite birds, a Woodpecker and I got to see a sparrow and several other birds that I might otherwise have missed.

Roger shared some of his birdwatching humor. "A birdwatcher can't tell the difference between a house or a Buick", Roger said half chuckling to himself.  He never explained that a House and a Buick are types of birds for us newbies.

I liked watching the birds, and noticed that my bf, Louis enjoyed the bird watching activity also.  It  was interesting for me to discover the personality of the people in the group.  They were all so very knowledgable

about birds and nature. All of them were in some form or another involved with the environment.

Birdwatching was a lovely experience that made me feel grounded.  I saw and appreciated the beauty in nature, I might otherwise have  spent that time on my cellphone.

We headed back. It was a great way to start my birthday celebration.

JC


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