Being & Birds

A personal journey through nature, healing, and the simple beauty of birdwatching.

recent posts

  • Cooler meals for birding trips: how to eat well while spending more time outdoors

    A lot of birding is logistics. Getting to a place, moving between spots, and figuring out when and where to eat.

    I recently spent a long weekend in northern Minnesota in early summer hiking, birding, and enjoying the outdoors. The area I was visiting had limited food options, and stopping to find meals would have cut into the time I wanted to spend outside. I didn’t want my trip to revolve around restaurants or driving into town. I wanted to wake up, go birding, and have healthy, filling meals ready whenever I needed them.

    This was my first real attempt at packing a cooler and relying on it for all my meals over three days. Some things worked really well, and some things I wish I had known ahead of time.

    Here’s what I’d recommend bringing for a three-day trip, along with a few lessons I learned about using a cooler.

    Food prep

    Prepare all your meals ahead of time. Store a single serving in individual containers. This will make it easy and quick to grab and eat.

    All of the foods I recommend can be bought and prepared the night before your trip in about 2–3 hours.

    Breakfast

    Overnight oats: rolled oats (old fashioned oats), oat milk, frozen blueberries, and peanut butter.

    Yogurt.

    Lunch

    Italian pasta salad: pasta, cheese, meat, vegetables, and dressing.

    Dinner

    Sandwich: make any sandwich you enjoy. An easy option is meat and cheese.

    Snacks

    Hummus and carrots.

    Apple, banana, and orange.

    Nuts: cashews and almonds.

    Dried fruits: I like dried apricots.

    Cardinal Kitchen seed crisps: I am obsessed with these seed crisps! I feel like I’m a bird when I eat them. Maybe I should have kept that thought to myself? Anyways, here’s the link: https://www.cardinalkitchen.com/where-to-buy

    Granola bars.

    Chocolate.

    Tuna packet and crackers: I admit that I have packed this a few times and have never ate it. I’m keeping this on the list because I like the idea of it and I’m convinced I will enjoy it some day.

    Drinks

    Gallon water jugs: I always bring a couple when I’m heading out of town. I drink a lot of water, and a single backpack bottle doesn’t go very far. I keep the gallon jugs in the back of my car and refill my bottle before heading out on hikes.

    It’s also a backup plan. You can’t always count on the water available at your destination. It might not be drinkable, or it could have an off taste. Having your own supply means you don’t have to rely on a water source you’re unsure about.

    Sparkling water: Chill these ahead of time and store them in your cooler so you can enjoy a tasty cold drink whenever you need one.

    Tableware

    I bring paper towels, a few forks and spoons, and a small container of dish soap to clean my reusable utensils. I also pack disposable tableware for situations where I don’t have access to a place to wash dishes. I eat directly out of the containers I packed my meals in, so there’s no need to bring extra plates or bowls.

    Cooler tips

    A bag of ice can keep a cooler cold for about three days. I used a large cooler with a 20-pound bag of ice, which was enough for my trip.

    Make sure to empty the bag of ice into the cooler so the ice is spread out and broken up. If you leave the ice in the bag, it stays cold but doesn’t cool the rest of the cooler as effectively.

    Store your food at the bottom of the cooler. I originally put my food on top, but it didn’t stay as cold. The warmest part of the cooler is near the lid, so keeping food lower helps it stay colder.

    Bring a cooler thermometer. I didn’t have one, but it would have given me peace of mind knowing my food was being stored at a safe temperature.

    Drain the cooler as the ice melts to keep it lighter and prevent everything from sitting in melted water.

    If you’re staying somewhere overnight, bring the cooler inside. Keeping it in a cooler environment will help the ice last longer.

    Have fun!

    It has taken me a few years to find foods that I enjoy bringing on trips and hikes that are also simple to shop for and prepare the night before. The cooler tips, however, were lessons I learned from just one weekend trip.

    I hope these ideas help make someone else’s time outdoors a little easier, more enjoyable, and more stress-free from the very beginning.

  • Creeping Charlie is for the birds, and I’m starting to like it

    I’ve been trying to convince myself that I like the ground ivy (also known as Creeping Charlie) that now covers about 75% of my backyard. It spreads fast, is nearly impossible to remove, and most people consider it a nuisance. As my mom put it, laughing, “you’ll never get rid of that” and “I’ve never seen anything like it.” Thanks, mom.

    But after a few years of watching it take over, I’m starting to wonder if I’ve been looking at it the wrong way. What if this “weed” is actually doing more good than I gave it credit for?

    After a few years of watching it take over, I’ve started to notice a few things I actually like about it.

    For the birds

    This spring, I had a small breakthrough. I looked out the window and saw House Finches foraging in the ivy. They perched in the ivy, picking at the plant and working seeds out with their beaks.

    That was the moment it shifted for me. Maybe this isn’t just a takeover. It’s habitat.

    Early blooms for pollinators

    Creeping Charlie blooms early, with small purple flowers appearing when not much else is out yet. After a long winter, that matters.

    I’ve noticed bumblebees especially, moving from bloom to bloom in those first warm days. It’s one of the first signs of life returning to the yard.

    For what it’s worth, I haven’t ever used chemicals on my lawn. Everything that feeds here (bees, finches, rabbits) can do so safely.

    Lower maintenance

    Keeping a lawn is a practical way to keep some pests away from the foundation of your home. But traditional lawns demand a lot: water, mowing, and upkeep.

    The ivy doesn’t grow very tall. Maybe four inches at most. So I mow less often. In cooler months, every couple of weeks. In hot, dry stretches, sometimes just once a month.

    Crowds out worse offenders

    Because ivy spreads so densely, it leaves little room for other plants to take hold. And if I’m choosing between ivy and thistles, it’s not a hard call. Ground ivy hasn’t hurt me. Thistles have.

    When I moved into this house 6 years ago the lawn was immaculate—thick, lush, and weed-free. Within weeks, the ivy slipped under the neighbor’s fence and started its quiet expansion. It makes me wonder if a perfectly uniform lawn is actually more vulnerable than it looks.

    The tradeoff

    Of course, it’s not all good. The biggest downside is how aggressively it spreads into garden beds. In the vegetable garden and among native plants, it quickly becomes a problem. That’s where I draw the line. For now, I’m choosing not to fight it everywhere. I’ll manage it where I need to, and let it be where I don’t.

    It’s not the yard I expected, but it might be one that’s working a little more like an ecosystem than a lawn. The more I pay attention, the more I find that letting go of control makes room for noticing what’s already there.

    What’s your experience with Creeping Charlie? Have you found ways to live with it?

  • On loving birds

    Happiness is to love birds. To love a bird you can simply just admire them. You can view them from afar. You can think about how beautiful their feathers look. You can enjoy their beautiful song. A song that isn’t meant for you, but you get to listen. You can celebrate when they successfully find a meal. You can be full of joy to see them with their family. You can feel that deep connection when you see a familiar bird. You can simply love them and expect nothing in return except for receiving the gift of their presence.

    You can feel appreciation and fulfillment. When you see that bird enjoying the fresh water in the bird bath that you provided for them on a hot day. When you see the Ruby-throated Hummingbird enjoying the Butterfly Weed that you planted years ago. That’s love in action.

    Can’t have light without the dark

    Of course it’s not an endless stream of happiness to love a bird.

    You might face sadness and grief. Maybe your beloved backyard Northern Cardinal didn’t have a successful nesting season. Maybe you found a dead bird in your backyard. This might be painful. To feel and grieve for what those birds lost, and what you’ve lost.

    You might feel angry when you see birds compete for resources. You might feel anxiety when you’re hoping for a specific outcome. And you might feel fear when that Red-winged Blackbird has determined that you’re a threat to its nest.

    Boundaries

    You’ll need to set boundaries with your beloved birds to protect yourself and them. You won’t get too close. You’ll stay quiet. You’ll take action. Or you’ll resist the urge to take action if taking action could make things worse. You’ll take care of yourself so that you can show up for the birds in ways that support their lives.

    Are we loved in return?

    Do birds love us? I’d like to think so, in their own way. Some bird species have the ability to recognize people. They can take comfort being around us. Some birds will eat seeds out of the palm of the hand. That’s trust.

    Trust

    Can birds betray our trust? Yes, but not intentionally. Bird behaviors are based on survival instincts and not moral reasoning. Birds don’t know “right from wrong.”

    It goes without saying that we have the ability to betray birds, both unintentionally and intentionally. Therefore we have the responsibility to minimize harm, be respectful, and act out of curiosity and compassion and not exploitation.

    In closing

    I hope this post has helped you consider how meaningful bird watching can be. How our relationships can bring happiness and grief. How intimacy and trust can be built and destroyed. How there are some variables that you can control and others that you can’t.

    That the bravest thing you can do is love.

  • Vulture culture

    I found a dead Blue Jay in my backyard at the beginning of August. I’m uncertain about how it died, maybe West Nile virus. However, this story won’t be about viruses or death. This story will be about bird bones. Yes, that’s right. Avian osteology if you’re a scientist. And if you’re a hobbyist, “vulture culture.”

    According to the world wide web, vulture culture “is a subculture of people who ethically collect, clean, and preserve animal remains (like bones, feathers, etc.) often for art, education, or personal interest.”

    I knew nothing about vulture culture prior to writing this post, and I still don’t. But what I do know is that when I saw that dead Blue Jay I was very sad, and then I was very curious. I wanted to use the experience to learn whatever I could.

    If you’re like me, you might lie awake at night and ask yourself “is it legal to keep a dead Blue Jay?” And the answer is sort of. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act only allows for possession of bird parts in certain circumstances. Effective December 31, 2024 the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published a regulatory authorization that established criteria for bird possession without requiring a permit. In my case, I was able to collect and keep the Blue Jay remains for up to seven calendar days per the Salvage clause of 50 CFR 21.16. Within seven calendar days the salvaged specimens must be donated or destroyed. See the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service website for more detail.

    I waited just over a month from when I found the Blue Jay to when I collected it. This was purposeful. Firstly, it gave me time to do my research on bird permits. I also did some googling to get some ideas on what to do with the bird’s bones and feathers. This is when my eyes opened to the world of skeleton articulation. I never quite understood the fascination with skeletons, but now I do. I watched this YouTube video of a person align an eye bone (sclerotic ring) inside of a Northern Cardinal skull. Did you know that there was such a thing as an eye bone in a bird’s skull before reading this? Yeah, kinda neat.

    The most important purpose of the waiting period was for natural decomposition. I didn’t want to deal with flesh. I was interested in the bones and feathers.

    The day came when I was ready to collect the bird. I wasn’t certain what I would do with it. I decided I would start by picking it up and looking at it. There was a lot of dirt and leaves stuck to its feathers. Seemed like a good next step to get the dirt off. After that, I was left with what seemed like a fully intact skeleton and feathers. One of the legs broke away from the skeleton so I took a closer look at that. Very tiny and light weight.

    That’s when I noticed its foot. Compared to the leg bone, the Blue Jay foot seemed so…alive? Covered in scales. Tiny talons intact. Bird feet are cool. Have you seen an American Coot’s toes? Or the talons of an owl? They are hard to miss. Looking at a bird’s feet also remind me of their ancestry, theropod dinosaurs.

    I also took a close look at the skull. One of the sclerotic rings was still attached via some matted feathers. When I pulled away some feathers the vertebrae detached.

    At this point I was left with all the individual parts of the bird. The feet, a skull, the legs, a wing connected to the rib cage, another wing, and the tail feathers. That seemed like enough investigation for one day. I put the remains in a box and put the box in the garage. A few days later I got the box out. I decided I wanted to take some photos and then dispose of the bird.

    Taking photos of bird bones and feathers in the outdoors is tricky. They are so light weight that the slightest breeze could have blown them away. I set up a makeshift bench in the garage, and there was just enough natural light to get a few snapshots.

    This experiment isn’t something I thought I would ever do. Dead animals are gross. But, my love for learning about birds has me doing things I wouldn’t think I would do. Would I do it again? Probably not. Well, maybe for another bird species…

  • Blessed with an eBird yard list

    I’m feeling thankful to have an eBird yard list. For 5 years I’ve been submitting eBird checklists from my yard. I’ve submitted 338 checklists and have observed 82 species. Birds seen all year long and in abundance include Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, American Crow, House Finch, and Black-capped Chickadee. Here’s a summary of the birds I’ve seen throughout the years in my yard.

    Spring – Fox Sparrow, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Double-crested Cormorant

    In April I look forward to welcoming back the Fox Sparrow. After a long, cold winter I am practically glued to the window with anticipation of its arrival.

    In the spring and summer months, flyovers of Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, and Double-crested Cormorant are common. There’s a nearby rookery on the Mississippi River. I imagine they are going to and fro. Sometimes the Great Blue Heron will fly so low its wing tips nearly touch the tops of the trees.

    Summer – Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Northern House Wren

    Each summer I would feel lucky to get at least one sighting of Ruby-throated Hummingbird. It would typically inspect the Blue Spruce and then fly off, not to be seen until next year. This year I saw it a few times in the vegetable garden. It was enjoying the blossoms of the Super 100 tomato and the Butterfly Weed. The Butterly Weed was very popular with the insects, including the Common Eastern Bumble Bee. I highly recommend planting that in your garden.

    A bird that brings a lot of liveliness to the yard with its song is the Northern House Wren. It appears in May and is gone by early August. It feels too brief and I wish it would stay longer.

    Fall – Red-breasted Nuthatch

    The Red-breasted Nuthatch is a bird I’m always delighted to see in my backyard. I have seen it in all months of the year except November. On early mornings in July of this year I saw it on my bird bath, but it’s typically on the Blue Spruce or Eastern White Pine. eBird observations of Red-breasted Nuthatch are not too common in my county in July. It feels like a special bird to see in my yard nearly all year long.

    In November the sun sets just after 5 o’clock. I’m typically lazing on the couch and whining about the darkness and cold weather. Nothing lifts my spirits more than hearing “hoo-h’HOO-hoo-hoo” from just outside my window. The Great Horned Owl. No matter the individual bird, I’ve lovingly named it Frosty. (Credit to Cornell’s All About Birds for the phonetic owl call.)

    Winter – Woodpeckers

    Winter birding can be slow. But the woodpeckers are reliable, including Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, and Red-bellied Woodpecker. If I’m having an extra lucky day I will see the Pileated Woodpecker on the Eastern White Pine or taking a drink from the bird bath (if it isn’t frozen).

    About my yard

    Now that I’ve given you the scoop on the birds I’ve seen in my yard here are a few notes about the habitat of my yard. I’ve previously mentioned the Eastern White Pine and Blue Spruce. The only deciduous tree that I have is a White Ash. I have 3 bird baths and no feeders (although I contemplate putting out suet in winter). I also have a lot of open green space in my yard (which is almost all ground ivy). The Northern Flicker seems to enjoy the open space, usually seen on the ground using its bill to dig in the dirt. Of the trees that I can see and identify, my neighborhood has lots of maples, some willow, a couple cottonwood, basswood, honey locust, apple trees, and crabapples.

    Goal setting

    Another thing worth mentioning is that keeping a yard list has helped me set small goals. For example, one of my goals was to submit a checklist for each day of the second week of August. That way my eBird bar charts would have sufficient data to show me the birds likely to be seen that week of the year. An upcoming goal that I have is to keep my eyes out for a Red-breasted Nuthatch during the month of November. It would be fun to say that I’ve seen that bird each month of the year.

    If you haven’t started your yard list, now is the time! All you need is a yard or a space to watch birds on the regular. I recommend using the eBird documentation to learn more. It’s a resource that I’ve found helpful. Happy birding!

  • Sequoia National Park

    My first trip to California as a birder was a success with nearly 20 lifers, including Steller’s Jay, White-headed Woodpecker, Oak Titmouse, Mountain Quail, Green-tailed Towhee, and Barn Owl. Locations included Three Rivers, Sequoia National Park, and Kings Canyon National Park.

    The most magical experience was in Sequoia National Park’s Crescent Meadow, known as the gem of the Sierras. Towering Sequoias. Being covered in the smell of pine and dry dust. The abundance of woodpeckers, Mountain Chickadees, nuthatches, and warblers. The welcome shade of the forest overlooking the hot sunny meadow. Taking a rest on a stump to watch MacGillivray’s warblers and being greeted by a Green-tailed Towhee from its perch on a Sequoia. An experience that I’m holding close to my heart.

  • Emotions

    My favorite self-help book is the “Language of Emotions” by Karla McLaren. Although this book has nothing-to-do-whatsoever with birds, birds are known to cause a range of emotions. And you’ll need to know how to deal with those emotions if you want to have a healthy and integrated whole-being life. For example, what a joy to see those woodpeckers and jays in your yard or at your feeder. But when you’re witnessing the reality of the bird-eat-bird world, anger, fear, or sadness might be the most potent emotions. Another emotion that can crop up with any lister might be the utter disappointment (perhaps anger or sadness) when you don’t find your target species after a good deal of travel. Learning how to use new gear, capture/edit photographs, and learning how to tag your eBird friends on a checklist you’ve already submitted are all sources of emotional prosperity that you can learn to welcome and channel.

    I can’t imagine sharing anything more important with you than this. This book combined with therapy was life-altering for me. I hope this lands with someone who needs and deserves it, too.

  • Nature journaling

    I started a nature journal! This has been a long time coming. I’ve never considered myself good at drawing so I have been shocked and elated to find that I enjoy the process of drawing and the outcome.

    After viewing lots of art and being constantly reminded about how drawing birds will improve your birding skills, the stars aligned when I suggested to my partner that we spend an evening trying to draw a bird from memory. I felt I had a pretty good grasp on the field marks of an American Robin so that’s what I chose. I did ok. My drawing resembled a robin. My next step was to find an eBird image of an American Robin and try to replicate it. To my surprise and delight, my drawing of a robin had improved. I feverishly looked for resources on how to draw birds.

    I went to Barnes and Noble and bought the most popular book for how to draw birds. I gave it a try. “Wow, this is hard and my drawing is terrible.” Not surprised by my historical lack of skill, but upset because I thought I had gained traction with my recent experience drawing the robin. Instead of dwelling in my usual self-defeating thoughts, my desire to be good at drawing birds persevered and I thought “maybe pencil isn’t my personal choice of artistic medium.”

    I remembered the practice of nature journaling and all of the colorful images I had seen in other’s journals. I scoured the internet for resources and found a medium that seemed to make sense for me: pen and watercolor. I went to Blick art supplies and got all the supplies I needed for under $50. I bought a watercolor pad, a water brush, and a watercolor palette.

    My first drawing was of the Serviceberry in the front yard, with under an hour of daylight and the mosquitoes matching my vigor. Voila! I had my first drawing in my nature journal and I was pleased.

    It’s been a few weeks since then and I have been kept plenty busy with all of the nature material in the back vegetable garden: flowers, birds, insects, fruits, and leaves. What a special place to retreat to and to focus in on all the detail and beauty.