A love of birds: Joy for an artist, writer, photographer.

I’ve loved birds for as long as I can remember, my neighbor had a garden where many different species of birds passed through but the most dramatic was the flaming orange orioles that nested in the four large
willows that lined both yards.

I also remember the great egret that was on the garden state parkway-what a special treat for a child that craved anything nature. I kept a life list that grew with trips to many different states, each with their own unique species.

Yesterday I was photographing in my backyard and several species came close enough to shoot with a telephoto lens and I realized what I love so much about feeding and watching birds, and it can get quite expensive.

It’s the impetus to stop and listen, to move slow and observe, you realize details, color and habits and the artist becomes the scientist. I have always wanted to be a naturalist and used to read books on nature from cover to cover.

Often one can go out into nature and still be lost in the chaos of life, not completely immersing into the sounds and calm of nature. Birds make you stop, they create the moment that one can truly be lost and feel the restorative effects of being one with nature.