By GENE BULLOCK
Kitsap Audubon
I once asked a friend to explain his passion for riding his motorcycle.
“If you don’t know,” he said, “I can’t explain it to you. If you know, I don’t have to explain it to you.”
Devotees of pursuits ranging from stamp collecting to rock climbing can relate to his “zen-like” connection with those who share their passion.
I once met a man with a world-class collection of automobile license plates. He was the envy of his kindred society of license collectors.
I recall the first time I went fishing. I sat with my line dangling in the water for what seemed like a tediously long time, and wondered why people spent their time this way. But after I landed my first fish, I never wondered again.
And during a pedantic force-feeding by an uninspiring teacher, I wondered what drew people to poetry and literature; but then I fell in love with words.
A love for nature and wildlife may be in our DNA, but it sometimes needs a spark to light those neural pathways. Young birds have the innate ability to sing; but it’s triggered by hearing their parents sing.
My labored point is if you’re introducing children to bird watching, it pays to create the right setting. Pick a location and time of the year when birds are plentiful and easy to see. Spring birding at places like Nisqually Wildlife Refuge or Theler Wetlands in Belfair can be ideal. But a well-stocked backyard feeder is a wonderful place to bond with birds and crystallize a life-long love affair with bird watching. Once hooked, they’ll patiently endure the numbing cold and rain that come with winter birding.
Learning to identify birds from a book can be challenging. But groups like the Kitsap Audubon Society offer introductory trips for beginners that can jump start that learning process. Starting in your own backyard makes it easy to start with a relative handful of familiar birds. Getting close up and personal with birds is made easier when you can watch them from the window. It’s like turning an aquarium inside out, with the observer seated comfortably inside while the fish feed just outside the glass.
Young birds are born with the ability to sing and to fly. With nurturing parents and enthusiastic examples, it occurs naturally. With the proliferation of man-made threats, our birds need lots of friends who care.
