Bird watching has become a fun and inexpensive way to reconnect with my family members.
My family is grown and flown. My daughter lives a few hours away and my son is currently stationed overseas. It has been a bit tricky to find ways for us all to stay connected due to different work schedules and time zones. I find it sweetly “ironic” that as empty nesters, birdwatching is keeping us close.
Birdwatching is a fun and low-cost way to stay connected to my family
I got into birdwatching for a simple reason. I wanted to be more familiar with my surroundings. Each walk I took, I made a mental note to ask about the birds I could not name even though I had seen them repeatedly.
Birdwatching was an easy hobby to incorporate into my our lives. We look forward to visiting some of our local and state parks. Add a “fancy coffee” and the simple pleasure of bird watching moves to “date” level! I have enjoyed learning about our local birds alongside my husband. It’s been nice to talk about something other than bills and household chores.
Reconnecting with our children through the pleasure of bird watching
Who knew the simple act of putting up a birdhouse would lead to an active family chat! My husband and I added a birdhouse to our yard to add to our enjoyment of bird watching. It is very satisfying watching the bluebirds that have taken up residences there. Many a morning we sit and enjoy our coffee watching the birds’ activities. One of the neatest moments to date was seeing a nest built right outside our window.
In our excitement, we sent a picture of some newly laid eggs to our children. To my delight, a family group chat began! Our children check in regularly to get updates about the clutches of eggs that have been laid.
Even though my family is far away from one another with a few simple tools and a common love for nature, my family has connected over some feathered friends.
A few things to consider when reconnecting through bird watching:
- Be attentive. Ask each other questions about the information you are learning while researching the birds you are seeing.
- Keep a blanket and binoculars in the car to make the must of expected stops to view some birds
- Make sure all the family members are on the same chat
- Talk about memories revolving around being outside together
- Research the areas your children live and the different birds they have there
- Share often, the more frequently you share your experiences the more everyone participates.
- Use an app such as Cornel University’s Merlin to help you keep track of the birds you are finding.
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