Need to slow down your monkey mind? Calm your caveman stress hormones? Look up. Birds can be therapeutic to us earthbound creatures if we simply slow down and observe the bevy of birds among us every day, especially here in East Dallas.
White Rock Lake, of course, has an abundance of avian dinosaurs. It’s always worth the short jaunt over there to see pelicans, herons and egrets. But consider connecting with nature closer to home. To experience a bird break, step into your backyard, onto your balcony or simply look out your window. Birds are everywhere.
Hillside neighbor Ben Sandifer is an enthusiastic birder. He earned the title of Master Birder after completing the extensive North Central Texas Master Birder program several years ago. Always a fan of the outdoors, birding has added an extra dimension to his outdoor experience. “Observing wild birds allows one to slow down, take in the sights and sounds around you. It can be a very mindful activity focusing on the present.”
Recent years have yielded a flurry of scientific research about the benefits of having birds around. One study found that being near bird song can improve your sense of well-being. Other studies determined that slowing down and observing birds can lower blood pressure, reduce stress and anxiety, and sharpen concentration.
Fortunately, our neighborhood is popular with birds.
“Dallas sits within the North American Central Flyway (migration path) and will see hundreds of species documented by birders in a calendar year,” explains Sandifer. “Dallas is rich with birds and the opportunity to see them.” The most common, year- round resident birds are Northern cardinal, Carolina chickadee, Carolina wren, blue jay, mourning dove, white-winged dove and red-bellied woodpecker.
By the way, this is a great time to see birds. Spring migration will bring us visitors from all parts, including hummingbirds, yellow warblers from Central and South America, indigo buntings, and the crazy-colorful painted bunting. You might even see an American golden plover, one Sandifer memorably spotted once.
“The species has one of the longest migration routes of any bird on the planet. It migrates every spring from Southern Argentina to the tundra of the Arctic Circle to nest,” he says.
If you’ve never done any bird watching, don’t be intimidated. Anyone can be a birder. “One of the great things about birding,” says Sandifer, “is that it’s accessible to people of all ages and levels of fitness.” Birding can be as simple or as involved as you wish. Though no equipment is necessary, a field guide and a pair of binoculars can make it a more satisfying venture.
“I always recommend an 8x pair of binoculars for viewing birds. An inexpensive pair of binoculars will add immense enjoyment in viewing and identifying birds.”
You’ll likely be amazed how many tools you can find to help learn about and identify birds. Check out allaboutbirds.org, owned by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Cornell also produces eBird.org and the eBird app, tools for location/sighting information and for creating bird lists.
Another amazingly useful tool is the Merlin app. “It has immersive technology using your cell phone microphone,” explains Sandifer. “When used as a listening device, the app and your cell phone microphone can detect the species name of a bird with decent accuracy. Novice birders find Merlin as an excellent resource for identifying birds.”
If you want to see a bigger variety of birds, invite them: set up feeding and watering stations at your home. “Establishing a consistent food and water source will attract birds to your backyard or patio year round. During extremely cold or hot weather, human-placed feeders and water supplies can provide a vital resource to wild birds,” says Sandifer, whose own yard has several feeders. “It’s an inexpensive and passive way to enjoy the great outdoors a stone’s throw from your door.”
Year-round bird residents of East Dallas will benefit, as will those just passing through during migration. Though many migratory birds seek out mostly insects, they’re sure to appreciate your feeders as a supplemental resource. Think of your yard as an Airbnb for birds, a welcome stop for a weary traveler.
A fun, relatively new tool is the camera bird feeder, which records up close and personal videos of your visitors and allows you to review footage at your leisure. You never miss a bird.
Remember that birds need a place to bathe and water to wash down the entrée you provide. “The number one resource that attracts birds to your yard,” Sandifer reminds us, “is a consistent and clean supply of water. It can be a concrete bird bath, a special drip feature or even a simple kitchen platter or shallow bowl. The key with water is to provide it as a consistent supply for birds that is clean and readily available.”
It’s also helpful to provide cover for them. “A shade tree, understory plants, bushes and a nearby secluded perch area can help bird species feel safe and offer shelter from predators. Cooper’s hawks are frequent ambush raptors of bird feeders in East Dallas. Having a bit of cover nearby offers birds a better chance of having a meal versus becoming one.”
As you provide food and shelter for the birds and begin to identify the species who visit your home, you may find you’ve forged a bond with them: regulars to your feeders begin to feel like friends. Slow down, breathe deeply, and enjoy this symbiotic relationship.
