{"id":1427,"date":"2020-06-16T12:11:22","date_gmt":"2020-06-16T16:11:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/sustainability\/?p=1427"},"modified":"2020-07-21T09:21:21","modified_gmt":"2020-07-21T13:21:21","slug":"weekly-sustainability-tip-bird-watching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/sustainability\/2020\/weekly-sustainability-tip-bird-watching\/","title":{"rendered":"Weekly Sustainability Tip: Bird Watching"},"content":{"rendered":"

“If you could see every bird in the world, you’d see the whole world.”<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0–\u00a0Jonathan Franzen,\u00a0<\/em>author<\/p>\n

Did you know?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Birdwatching as a leisure activity has surged in popularity during the pandemic. Many people have turned to birdwatching for entertainment in their backyards or in public green spaces.<\/p>\n

In the time of COVID-19\u2026 <\/strong><\/h3>\n
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The Great Blue Heron in the Rideau River at Carleton University. Photo Credit: Ian MacLatchy<\/p><\/div>\n

Bird watching is the perfect activity while practising social distancing. Bird watching can help us become better stewards of our natural environment as it allows us to reconnect with nature, to be outside and expand our knowledge of nature.<\/p>\n

With the increasing availability of online bird identification guides and smartphone apps, birdwatching is becoming widely available to everyone.<\/p>\n

Nature-watching allows us to decompress and be mindful of our surroundings while also taking part in a fun and educational activity.<\/p>\n

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How to get started\u2026<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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  1. Be prepared.\u00a0 <\/strong>Bring a good pair of binoculars, a notebook to keep track of the bird species, a bird app or a field guide to help identify the bird species, and a camera if you wish.<\/li>\n
  2. Here are some suggested free birding apps or bird field guides: <\/strong>Cornell Lab of Ornithology\u2019s Merlin ID App<\/a>, Audubon Bird Guide App<\/a>, The Sibley Guide to Birds.<\/a><\/li>\n
  3. Get outside and pay attention to your surroundings.<\/strong> You can spot birds in any green space or open water source. It can be a backyard, a park, a small pond, a trail, a garden, or an open field.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
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    Male indigo bunting. Photo Credit: Ian MacLatchy<\/p><\/div>\n

    Pro-Tips:<\/strong><\/h3>\n