Find your flock in Philly! Here are some ways to explore birding in the city

What is it that makes bird-watching so special and so popular For local birder Caitlin Sherman the excitement is in finding absolute jewels of birds in places you d never expect We had a snowy owl hanging out in the middle of Independence Mall this winter she announced Just having this extremely wild animal here with us and knowing that it s there is just an incredible experience Philly is also on a major north-south migration journey with a multitude of birds passing through the region from the last week of April through the first three weeks of May This means birders will be able to see species such as songbirds and tree swallows that don t reside here year round There are multiple bird-watching groups and events in the city with varying activity levels and focuses both in the metropolitan area and in the suburbs With such a wealth of options to get involved you might wonder about how to get started There are a large number of different groups in Philly that offer beginner and intermediate birders a space to identify birds and enjoy nature Photo courtesy of Feminist Bird Club Philly If you re looking to find out more on birding throughout the city start with these recommendations from The Academy of Natural Science s Andrew Kleiner the Academy s director of region science and John Eskate the Academy s volunteer and civic engagement senior manager Birding as an entrance point Eskate suggests bird-watching can be a good way to get outside and explore Birding is such a popular entrance point into appreciating nature he announced One advantage is familiarity People may be surprised with how much they ve already learned about birds mentioned Feminist Bird Club Philly s co-leader Dylan O Donoghue People know a lot more about birds than maybe they think that they do she announced Just through the way that we re exposed to birds in movies and TV and in books According to the Pennsylvania Tournament Commission there are species of wild birds throughout the state In Philly several bird-watching groups exist to make it a fun social activity A lot of these clubs have just done such a fabulous job of creating a space for people to find themselves welcomed and belonging outdoors in green spaces where they may not have otherwise felt peaceful Eskate announced So together they are able to encounter nature and birds and I think that their success in drawing a lot of people to their events has just been remarkable Eskate and Kleiner recommend researching groups to find the right fit for you Various cater toward specific groups or emphasize things such as accessibility For example Greenberg s Philly Queer Birders group was created in as a way to provide a post-pandemic activity and to aid inclusive spaces It s major for people to have an affinity space or a space that is specifically and explicitly welcoming of queer people they reported Groups like Philly Queer Birders welcome all experience levels and promote inclusivity of all people at club meetings Photo courtesy of Philly Queer Birders Greenberg has a background in biology and ornithology a branch of zoology specific to the inquiry of birds They explained their club also encourages people to get outside which is one of the best parts of birding I find myself getting outside with no mission or destination in mind kind of hard so birding really gets me outside with intention and purpose they revealed Another group Feminist Bird Club Philly also welcomes all members and touches on activism noted O Donoghue We look at and think about the intersection of environmental and social justice and connecting people to the natural world through birding she stated Members of Feminist Bird Club Philly scout out different bird species at a local park Photo courtesy of Feminist Bird Club Philly Co-founder Caitlin Sherman revealed Feminist Bird Club Philly focuses on being collaborative both in partnerships and through club meetings We re trying to use our platform to help spread awareness to other groups doing really essential work around the environmental challenges that Philadelphians face she explained Another hallmark of the Feminist Bird Club Philly s meetings is encouraging comfort and conversation at meetings O Donoghue noted Sometimes we re just facilitating she noted And a lot of times other people are pointing out and ID ing birds and taking the lead in different approaches And we love to see that It s really cool to see people feeling their own sense of ownership within the group Because like it s really a collaborative and collective bird group that we re trying to have here Feminist Bird Club Philly serves as a collaborative group allowing its members to feel a sense of ownership in the group Photo courtesy of Feminist Bird Club Philly A large number of Philly area groups have similar values including emphasis on accessibility and inclusivity The Pennsylvania Center for Adapted Sports Adapted Birding group holds birding events and field trips on accessible trails so those with mobility demands can partake in birding and learn more about nature in the area In Color Birding offers an entry point to birding for BIPOC communities in and around Greater Philadelphia The group aims to provide safe inclusive spaces for birding practices and access to green space Greenberg explained there are multiple strategies to get involved as a beginner whether it s attending a group or flying solo So I consistently recommend if you re not ready to pay for binoculars go out with one of the groups I mentioned they disclosed Or if you re feeling like you want to go on your own the library at a large number of of their locations has free birding backpacks that you can check out and they have good binoculars in them that if you had to buy on your own would cost good money Eskate noted that having accessible spaces for all people to enjoy natural sessions is vital for both the climate and humans I think the Academy stands to learn a lot about the techniques in which we can make the natural world accessible to people because that s our mission To help people to be inspired by the natural world and to appreciate and care for it and to take responsibility for the natural world he explained So these clubs are doing it and I think that they re drawing a lot of people outdoors and in green spaces The Academy has also offered various clubs for those interested in birding bugs fungi and other similar topics Variety and simplicity in birding and nature Part of experiencing nature and learning to enjoy birding is looking for it wherever you are So it s just like starting to think about what you can encounter in your backyard is a really magical unlocking experience Eskate disclosed Kleiner explained he values these local experiences as they are just as vital as traveling is to experiencing nature What I care about passionately as the director of public science is deconstructing the idea that you have to go on a plane to Yellowstone to experience nature he reported What we re saying is you can walk out in your backyard in South Philly and experience nature right here Greenberg emphasizes birding can be as simple as just walking around in nature I would recommend checking out your local neighborhood parks they mentioned I mean this time of year any green space is going to have specific absorbing birds if you look up Parks like Pennypack Wissahickon and Fairmount are excellent spots for birding Different areas around the city though host unique birds For example Pennypack on the Delaware park has an working bald eagle nest and also hosts ducks gulls and cormorants Birders can also view birds like peregrine falcons at City Hall or see waterfowl or herons on Manayunk s Venice Island on the Schuylkill River BirdPhilly org lists events and bird walks at these locations A large number of local nature institutions and websites offer tools on how to identify birds The National Audubon Society provides an Audubon Bird Guide app that helps you to identify birds Merlin Bird ID from Cornell University s Lab of Ornithology also allows users to identify birds through sounds photos or a series of filtered questions With these guidance O Donoghue emphasizes birding does not have to be complicated She explained it is one of those hobbies that can be done numerous places in several methods You can bird anywhere and there are birds everywhere so taking those moments and turning them into moments where you re thinking about birds and sort of reflecting on them she stated And you can bird in your local park It doesn t have to be like this huge trip to a far-away place She announced there is also a lot more to birding than just looking with binoculars The social aspect of birding is another attractive part of the city s birding clubs Sherman reported Photo courtesy of Feminist Bird Club Philly Sherman reported that seeing and hearing birds even without being able to identify them is part of the magic She explained these kind of observations are encouraged during club meetings We really encourage people to if they see a bird shout it out especially if you don t know what bird it is she announced And we can all try to figure it out together because that s one of the really fun parts like figuring out the puzzle O Donoghue explains getting together to see birds can be a captivating moment She referenced a bird sighting at a current event as one of the coolest moments It was sort of like this surround sound of this totally silly bird that was just zooming over us she reported And there was a group of us and we were just all frozen and it came back down and everyone was ecstatic We got so excited even if we didn t see it We just heard this bird but the context of that it just takes you away from all of the wildness Beyond that O Donoghue revealed joining a birding group or participating in a birding walk can be a welcome break from normal life Birding is just a moment to take a break from the world and from work and from things she revealed How can I join For countless surrounding clubs and organizations Kleiner explained there are several events available When you take any Saturday and Sunday and you look up these organizations there s invariably an event there s unfailingly somewhere you can go consistently someone to meet constantly something to learn Kleiner revealed You can go birding or you can go walk on plants You can do a creek cleanup You can get involved in locality outreach The amount of opportunities for ecological engagement are nearly endless The Academy often posts events it is hosting or promoting on its Instagram Philly Queer Birders usually offers several opportunities a month for interested participants to get involved You can join the email list on their website follow their social media or use their Google Calendar to stay up to date Greenberg emphasized there are also a large number of solutions to explore birding on your own between these times as well through birding backpacks at the library or just stepping outside For Feminist Birding Club upcoming events are shared on their Linktree their social media or by signing up for their newsletter also on Linktree Sherman emphasizes that everyone can benefit from a little birding and the learning that comes with it We try to say this at the start of our events nobody knows everything but together we all know more she mentioned The post Find your flock in Philly Here are particular techniques to explore birding in the city appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY