In the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when lockdowns saved many people at residence, I targeted extra on life simply past my window. With my work and social life narrowed, I had extra time to note the vegetation, birds and different wildlife in my again yard.

Now that the times have sped up once more, I usually want encouragement to reclaim my consideration to the outside world. Such a motivation arrived earlier this month after I participated once more within the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count.

Maybe you’ve heard concerning the chook rely, an Audubon Society custom since 1900. Each yr, from shortly after Christmas via early January, native Audubon chapters choose someday to rely birds. Most volunteers fan out into fields and neighborhoods, however I’m amongst different helpers who rely birds in their very own yards. The numbers compiled throughout the nation assist observe how numerous chook species are doing. Like these legendary canaries in a coal mine, songbirds which are in bother can present essential warnings concerning the ecology that helps people, too.

But for me, the well being good thing about watching birds is extra direct. As an individual of a sure age, I now take my blood stress every day — often at our eating room desk overlooking a patio surrounded by well-stocked birdfeeders. I’ve seen that after I watch birds, my blood stress drops by as a lot as 10 factors.

Birdwatching appears good for me, although it’s not particularly low-cost medication, as I study every time I fill my buggy with birdseed on the neighborhood {hardware} and pay the cashier. When I examine my birdseed invoice with our grocery invoice, it typically appears that the birds are consuming at the least in addition to I’m.

I splurge a bit on chook rely day. Along with filling all of the feeders, I salt a great little bit of the yard with sunflower seeds for guests preferring eating on the bottom. It’s been an efficient option to increase chook attendance in order that I can rely as a lot of them as attainable.

With such a handy buffet, I shortly drew 10 goldfinches to my doorstep as rely day started. I’ve counted as many as 26 goldfinches on different days as they graze the bounty on the grass or pattern the safflower seeds on the feeders. The finches would rise and fall in full of life clouds as I walked alongside the driveway, like kitchen mud stirred by a brush.

My listing of chook sightings for rely day, which included 10 goldfinches, two mourning doves and one home wren, jogged my memory fortunately of that “Twelve Days of Christmas” carol — the one with three French hens, two turtledoves, and a partridge in a pear tree. The music is supposed to have fun abundance, which is how I really feel after I rely birds.

Even a month past Christmas, as I’m reminded after I watch my feeders, there are nonetheless items throughout.

Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.