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Birding became my hobby in 2022. Nothing fancy, just the ones in my backyard. But it's been special, getting to know the wood thrushes and downy woodpeckers and, of course, the cardinals and robins that hang around here. There have been rare finds, too—like when I stepped outside the exact moment sandhill cranes were migrating overhead a few weeks ago, or when we came home late one night and a screech owl's call had me searching for some creature in the woods.
In February 2021, Margaret Renkl wrote her weekly NYT column about finding happiness in her backyard deep in winter. I like to revisit her columns this time of year when I need that reminder. It's been grey here for a while now, as it will be for the next few months, and when the cold starts to wear, I remember how much winter allows us to see. The pair of pileated woodpeckers chasing each other high up in the trees. The bucks traipsing through the leaves. The pops of deep green weeds and ivy among the brown decay. The warm light on our face deep in the forest, where it would never reach us in the summer.
We talk a lot about the news here, of course, but here, in mid-December, I just hope y'all find some beauty in your backyard, wherever that is. Send me a photo or story about it if you feel so inclined.
Warmly,
Lyndsey Gilpin
Founder, Executive Director
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