#atozchallenge: B is for Birds

Posted on by Natalie

BirdsThings that help …

There are few things in life that give me more pleasure than watching birds. The apparent simplicity of their lives attracts me just as much as the beauty of their plumage. I can lose minutes at a time, standing at my lounge window, watching the blackbirds, robins, sparrows and bluetits flit happily about my garden. I can while away whole hours lying on a beach watching the gulls wheel above my head.

RobinOf all the garden birds, the robin is my favourite. They are such friendly creatures, hopping around on their spindly legs, looking for whatever grubs my spade unearths. I never feel alone in my garden; I always have company, especially at this time of year when the baby robins are leaving their nests.

 

titRecently, the  National Trust commissioned vocal sculptor and beatboxer Jason Singh, to put together an album of tweet music in celebration of spring. Apparently, research has shown that listening to birdsong not only makes people calmer but boosts positivity too. Three quarters of the people surveyed felt more connected to nature in spring than at any other time of year, while, for many, the sounds of spring brought back happy childhood memories. Other studies have shown that natural sounds have restorative qualities; the call sounds of songbirds and other natural noises help people recover more quickly from stress compared with the noise of urban living. I can get on board with that!

When I’m feeling stressed, when the little niggles start to take hold and make my heart beat faster, simply walking into the garden can help me calm back down. There is definitely something peace-inducing about the sound of birdsong and the whisper of the wind in the trees, especially for a tinnitus sufferer like me. But that’s a whole other post …

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An explanation of my AtoZChallenge theme can be found at Me and My Mental Health – It’s Time to Talk.

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11 thoughts on “#atozchallenge: B is for Birds”

  1. I should know better but it hadn’t occurred to me that was why I open my back door each morning to hear the dawn chorus, which is amazing as I write this now. My garden is deliberately a haven for wildlife so I can enjoy watching the birds from my kitchen-diner and hear them daily. Better go feed them as the Blackbird and robin know when I get up!

  2. I love birds too! I think my favorite is the Mourning Dove… at least they are my favorites at the feeder and by sound. You have inspired me to get my feeders fixed, filled, and my bird bath up and running. 🙂
    Julie @ Julie 2 Jules

    1. Just googled Mourning Doves. Not come across them before. They look a bit like our Collard Doves. Have fun with your feeders! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  3. The research on bird sounds is fascinating. I do feel more peaceful on the days I telecommute, because my home is near an urban park, and my neighbors’ tree is full of chirpers. The in-office days, I’m in a high rise, above where birds typically fly (or sing).

    Interestingly, my MIL has a phobia of birds. She blames the Hitchcock film.

    Happy A-Zing
    Laurel
    Laurel’s Leaves

    1. I think that Hitchcock film gave a lot of people bird phobias! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

  4. Firstly, love that the first thing I saw when the page opened was my name 🙂
    Secondly, I really enjoy Birds but it’s ducks I find most interesting. I don’t spend too much time thinking it through but they are more fascinating that society gives them credit for… just saying 🙂

    1. Thanks, Natalie! Nice to meet another Natalie – there aren’t many of us about! Ducks are great too. They look so serene on water, but so cumbersome on land. 🙂

    1. I think seagulls (and crows) are underestimated as birds. I love them … I love their biggness and their boldness. 🙂

  6. We have lots of birds around here to. Robins, sparrows, cardinals, blue jays, sea gulls, even geese ( do they count as birds?) 🙂

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