Last weekend, I visited Long Island to see my good friends from college. I was surprised when my friends brought me to a natural preservation for birds and wildlife in Sag Harbor on the island. I was very impressed with the preservation.
At this location, birds of all kinds roam freely--the noise of the fluttering of their wings and chirping is so calming. They can be spotted anywhere on the trails--in the brush, flying in the air, perched on limbs. The most common birds we spotted were chicadees, tit mice, cardinals, and blue jays. It was really a trip.
But, one cool thing about this place is that the birds eat right out of your hand. So, we brought a sack of birdseed, and if you put a pile in the palm of your hand and lay it flat and still, they will perch right on your hand and eat right out of it. It was amazing, incredible.
It took me a little while to adjust to swooping birds landing on me. I freaked out the first few times, but I finally got it. They were just coming up behind me, which scares me!
Watching the birds eat in your hand was a very cool experience too. Some are very picky while others just want to get in and out quick. The birds seemed to enjoy the sunflower seeds the best. Watching them devour the seed after they plucked it out of your hand was also very cool.
The best spots to feed the birds was where there were heavy thistles where they could hide and simply stand on the end of a short branch and make a small leap over to your hand. You can easily tell these populated areas because humans swarm there to feed them. Too many people is intimidating, but it is a gorgeous walk even if you just want to admire the birds. The trail goes all the way down to the beach and through the woods. It's a very calming and relaxing experience.
So, here are some lovely photos from the trip. It was definitely a cool experience to tack onto my life's tasks and accomplishments.
And this is how I felt at the end of the day...
So, what do you think of bird feeding or bird watching?
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