Birders are lucky. We have an incredible way to connect with nature and enjoy some solitude—a wonderful way to find positivity in these stressful times. But if the rest of your daily life has undergone some sudden changes amidst the coronavirus outbreak, here are ways beyond birding to enjoy and support the birds.
- Donate to a nonprofit. Many birding, nature, and conservation-minded nonprofits rely on events for fundraising. Some, such as this month’s Champions of the Flyway Race, have had to drastically change their plans. Check on the nonprofits, organizations, and clubs that you support, and consider donating to help them offset unexpected losses of income.
- Buy a gift card from a small business. We all have businesses within the birding community (and beyond) that we love and support, and many are struggling with the recent unexpected changes. A great way to support small businesses is to buy a gift card for future use.
- Learn more about a cause. Educating yourself on causes that are meaningful to you is one of the most powerful ways to support them. Take some time to do a deep dive on the facts about an endangered species or ecotourism organization or whatever you’d like to learn more about.
Working from home?
It’s practically guaranteed that your work day will be better with these tips.
- Stock the feeders. Stock your feeders and place them near your workstation window to witness the extraordinary behaviors of your everyday backyard birds up close.
- Crack a window. In many places, birds are starting to establish territories and look for mates, and with that comes singing. While you’re working from your home office (or couch), give yourself a direct connection to nature’s ambience.
- Contribute to citizen science. You may already use eBird when you’re birding, but while working from home, why not conduct a little backyard survey? It could be a simple as a ten-minute count of all of the birds that you see and hear from your porch each day. You could even use the quick break from work as a personal reward!
I wrote a letter to my email list with help for businesses to make the most of this time. Read it here.
Reach out to others.
Take a few minutes to send a quick text or email to someone you care about. As birders, we know people in our community from all over the world, and we’re all being affected by this pandemic in different ways. As humans, we’re united. A few kind words to one another will always make the world just a little better.
