Join our family as we peer out the kitchen window searching for our favorite backyard birds. Walk the trails with us around our local lakes and rivers, listening for bird calls and hoping for glimpses of our feathered friends. Live vicariously through our ramblings as we venture further afield to explore the natural world in all its diversity and beauty.
Let us know what you discover along the way too, as we are keenly interested!
~ Birding and Exploring Nature is For Everyone ~
While many sports and hobbies cost an arm and a leg, exploring nature (which includes birding) is free! Join us here as we suggest some useful gear if you fall head over heels in love with birding — much of the gear can be used for other nature activities too. We also will guide you toward some helpful reading materials, apps to use and podcasts to tune into. Millions of birdwatchers live in the United States and are thrilled to get to know their backyard birds. If you decide to travel further afield, we have suggestions for you! It is never too early (or too late) to start birding and appreciate the natural world.
Get everyone in your roost involved — the family that birds together, stays together!
Get Our Travel Scoop!
Follow our family ramblings as we step out our front door in search of birds and all things nature-related. Not only do we head to local and regional sites, but we venture further afield too! For our far-flung travels, we provide the skinny on airports, places to stay, cruising (our family loves to do this), tours, sites to visit, food, packing, and sundry other things. We even talk about the weather if Mother Nature acts up and we need to reconfigure our plans.
Life is for the Birds!
Did you know that in North America alone, there are over 900 species of birds? Birding can be done in your backyard, local parks, national parks — basically anywhere and everywhere! Knowing more about our feathered friends can help us figure out how to be better stewards of the environment. Plus, it’s fun!
Happy Earth Day 2021!
Our world is a very precious place. It has been over thirteen months since life as we know it forever changed with the covid-19 pandemic and all of the shutdowns that have ensued since then. As we all face life’s fragilities of one form or another, it is vital to …
Family Fun on Hilton Head Island
Located in beautiful coastal South Carolina, Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort is a magical place – and it is perfect for families who want to enjoy nature. The Resort is themed after a 1940s fishing and hunting lodge, but it is way more than that. …
A Convocation of Eagles?
Have you ever heard of a flamboyance of flamingos, a murder of crows, or a parliament of owls? Well, if you have and didn’t know what was going on, it is because different birds have different collective names to describe large groups of them. While it might seem a bit …
Get Binoculars for the Kiddos!
Get your kids involved with birding at a very young age – trust us, they’ll love it! We were “those parents” who had our babies in backpacks strapped to us as we explored. There seemed to be a calming effect on our twins when we escaped the house and …
Create Lasting Memories
Find some amazing places to enjoy nature with family and friends!
Even in the heart of a bustling city, you never know what you’ll see when you look up, down, and all around. Headed on an Alaska cruise with the family? Check out some of the port adventures that involve kids and scientific experiments, because who says that going on vacation can’t be educational? Hoping to stay at a swanky hotel (because who doesn’t want to be spoiled now and then) but aspire to experience less cultivated terrain on the same trip? Wanna explore our national parks? So do we! Come along with us as we discover opportunities to experience the marvels of nature, even in the most unexpected of settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
No questions are too silly – ask away!
Q
How expensive is it be a Birder?
A
Birding is one of the cheapest things to do! All you have to do is go outside, look around, and listen. Birds are everywhere! If you get hooked, you’ll probably want to buy a decent pair of binoculars. Some bird guides are helpful as you try to figure out what you are seeing and or hearing! You will also want to bring a camera (you can even use the one on your phone) to capture what you see.
Q
What’s a Bird Life List, and how do I keep one?
A
A life list is a cumulative record of the bird species an individual birder successfully identifies. You can either keep a paper copy or if you are looking for a paperless way to log your bird sightings, consider a mobile app! If you want to get really into it, take photos and also record where you were when that new awesome bird first came into your line of sight.
Q
I’m looking to take my family on a vacation where we see a lot of amazing birds and animals. Where do you recommend we go?
A
We have all sorts of recommendations as our family has rambled around a lot! One of our favorite destinations is Alaska – we’ve been there twice when our children were eight and then again when they were fifteen. We have seen a ridiculous amount of eagles, whales breaching in front of us, mountain goats peering down from above, bears catching salmon … you catch our drift, we love Alaska! Trips to national parks and vacays at the beach are some of our family favorites too!
Q
Can you recommend some fun activities to do with my family at home that will help us attract birds in our backyard?
A
We sure can. We highly recommend building (or buying) some birdhouses to go in your backyard. Get the kids involved by purchasing wooden birdhouses (we’ve seen them at local craft stores) that they can paint and decorate. Kids are more likely to watch what flies into them if they have a vested interest from the start. We also recommend putting out some bird feeders and a birdbath (remember to keep filling them!) and do consider growing bird-friendly plants as well.