I’ve been paying much more attention to birds this year. This is both because I am trying hard to slow down and pay attention to what’s around, but also because spending a few months of uninterrupted time in the Methow Valley this spring gave us a front-row seat to the life cycle of dozens of birds I hadn’t much noticed before. (This was mostly great, except for the northern flickers attacking the metal roof every day at 6am.)
I’m also quite scared of birds, so this paying attention was also an act of trying to understand and respect birds in a different way. The Genius of Birds was a helpful introduction to some pretty amazing facts about how bird species have evolved, funciton, and thrive. It’s accesible but sometimes a bit intense, so if you have a real interest in birds, it’s for you.
From the Desk of Judy Dark 