Birding with People is Good for You!

And Jane Goodall

On the internet, we often tell people to go outside and touch grass. Not everyone has the privilege of knowing good spaces to see birds or other wildlife, ways of getting there, or knowing what to look for. Luckily, in the Philadelphia area there are plenty of birding groups that will make you feel welcome, show you the ropes, and even lend you binoculars.

I met up with Philly Queer Birders and In Color Birding at Pennypack on the Delaware, and had a great time with old pros and newcomers, being delighted at the preponderance of American Goldfinches, seeing a distant Bald Eagle, and more. It was a great time. There are many other groups like BirdPhilly in the area as well, and if you’d rather go it alone or with friends, you can often borrow binoculars (and of course, a field guide!) from your local library.

These events and meetups always lift my spirits. Meeting people who are just as excited about nature, wildlife, and birds as you are is a pleasant experience, especially in this times when tech bros are making billions on getting us to hate one another. Seeing a Bald Eagle, or even two Milkweed Tussock Moth caterpillars, can make your day:

I’m short on time this week, so I’m going to dump a bunch of Goldfinch photos because they made me smile, seeing them again:

More

I also loved this short essay on hummingbirds, which is about so much more:

Joyas Volardores, by Brian Doyle.

I saw Jane Goodall speak at the University of Minnesota many years ago. She was inspiring, and never stopped changing minds and helping chimpanzees. This piece written after herc recent death—while still an activist for them at 91—is an Inspiring read.