The life of bird watchers

About a month ago we put our names on the list for a free bird watching tour at Discovery Park. All we had to do was show up at 8 a.m. a few Saturdays from then. So, show up we did. We had no idea what to expect, but besides the park ranger, Dan, we were the youngest in the group by at least a couple generations. We started by learning each other's names and describing our level of experience. About half of the group were very involved with "birding" and were friends with our host guides.

Everyone showed up with a decent pair of binoculars. Mel had a pair of concert binoculars and I hadn't binoculars at all. No worries! The ranger had some loaners I could borrow, which were wonderful. Not only that, but he had a high-powered scope on a tripod that he hefted from spot to spot. we saw: Anna's Hummingbird, Red-tailed Hawk, Northern Flicker (a type of Woodpecker),Black-capped Chickadee, Bushtit, Bewick's Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Spotted Towhee and Dark-Eyed Junco - none of which we would have seen without the expertise of our bird-loving friends. They knew sounds, feeding and nesting patterns, classifications and everything.

All in all a fun and informative way to spend a relaxing Saturday morning. This group meets once a month in Discovery Park in Seattle to watch birds. Ask about it at the Discovery Park visitor's center. It was fun to connect with the community and activate my mind and body.