Join a Local Bird Watching Group

For fun, we have taken up bird watching and I recently signed up online with a newsletter from a group called BirdYak through the Audubon society. They get together and go on outings to various areas around here to watch and identify the many species of birds that live here year round and those who migrate through the area too.

This is a huge birding area and we are learning to identify some of these beautiful and varied birds, from eagles to hummingbirds, great blue herons, and pelicans, wood ducks, teals, sandpipers, sand cranes, and so much more. We identified a western tanager in our back yard and the next day the newspaper had a picture of one. I think someone in BirdYak did that. It was great!

By Linda from Yakima, WA

Editor's Note: BirdYak is located in Washington State. Here is a link to the National Audubon Society to see if there are groups in your area:

• http://www.audubon.org/