There Will Be Birds
From my Favorite Things series: Reflections on smart bird feeders and the daily drama of bird watching.
Wherever there are birds, there is hope. — Mehmet Murat Ildan
My siblings and I recently setup a smart bird feeder for my dad. He’s been navigating quite a few health challenges over the years, and these days he’s immobile for a good portion of the day. Bird watching is something he enjoyed before all of that, back when he was still “ripping and running,” as he used to say.
I took up bird watching during the pandemic. The world was quieter then, and I had a private outdoor space where I spent a lot of time noticing sights and sounds I had been too distracted to pay attention to before. Bird watching forces you to slow down. If you’re too distracted, you may miss one. The little birds don’t hang around long because there’s always a bigger bird somewhere lurking. If you’re too loud, you may scare them off. So it’s peaceful. Also dramatic. With the birds come squirrels. Sometimes cats, rabbits, and other animals. Predator birds too.
So now I have a smart bird feeder. We all have one. A family compound of smart feeders, each in a different location. Since we all have the same brand of smart feeder, we can share our camera feeds through the app.
My sister’s view is the best. Somehow, she managed to place her feeder in perfect lighting, which makes sense because she’s always been great at finding the light in photos too. My Dad’s view is the most active because it’s managed by my youngest brother, who keeps it stocked like a school cafeteria snack bar, with a full variety of seeds. The view from my feeder is like watching birds at happy hour: chaotic and loud. It’s tucked under a tree canopy, which makes most birds feel safe, but also serves as a launch pad for squirrels.
Every week presents a new set of challenges to overcome, balancing the care and feeding of these bird feeders across different locations with everything else we’re navigating. But no matter what, there will be birds. They show up anyway, and roll with whatever comes their way.
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