Bird Watching: How My Husband & I Found Joy Watching Birds (Plus 80 Best-selling Supplies & Must-have Accessories) Activities Sports & Recreation
During tough times, it's easy to give in to sadness. That's why it's more important than ever to find joy. My husband, Dieter, and I have recently taken up bird-watching. We ordered and installed a squirrel- and chipmunk-proof bird-feeding station (that I affectionately call "Dieter's Diner"), and word is spreading quickly among our fine feathered friends. We have blue jays, cardinals, red-winged blackbirds, doves, sparrows, chickadees, robins and the occasional hawk or turkey buzzard. The most exciting moment in our backyard recently was seeing a couple of hummingbirds!
A female (at the left feeder) and male (at the right feeder) pair of cardinals stop in for dinner at "Dieter's Diner."
Bird-watching is calming and exciting all at once. There's a sense of tranquility when watching the birds fly in, check out the goods, have a meal and then fly away. There's a sense of excitement when you see a new bird (there's a yellow one that flew in recently, and we're using a bird guide book to figure out what it was), and watching the birds jostle for position. There's a bluebird that continually asserts his dominance and shoos away the other birds when he wants to feed. Who knew birds could be bullies?!
Whether you're a seasoned bird watcher or are new to the hobby, this comprehensive list of 80 bird-watching accessories (that includes our recommendations) will help you get the most out of watching your feathered friends. If it's not on this list, you probably don't need it!
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