Although I do remember having a pet bird (I don’t know what kind, but remember it was white) that used to perch on my Mom’s glasses when I was a very little girl, my real spark for birds came much later in life. When I entered my 40s and my Mom her 70s, her life slowed down quite a bit, and we spent more time visiting at her home rather than meeting up at venues for events. She had always been a nature lover, but with her newfound limited mobility we spent a ton of time in her yard, which was like an English garden. She had all sorts of plants and features and took particular care to encourage birds to visit.
Using a variety of bird feed and suet, her yard turned into a regular stop for the local bird population. Blue Jays would come for the unsalted peanuts, and chickadees would line her porch railing, waiting for their next snack.
In a Snow White-like fashion, she would whistle, and the birds would come, knowing she had created a haven for them. My interest grew when new birds arrived in the yard. What are they? Are they migrating? Where from? Where to? So exciting to discover new ones!
In the last several years, that interest has transferred to my own yard, and to walks in the park. Bird Town Pennsylvania was a great discovery for me, and I’m elated to have a group to explore with!
Lori Fritz, Chair of the Duncansville Borough Bird Town, in Blair County
Photo credit:
Blue Jay with Peanut, by Saforrest, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
