One of the questions I get asked a lot is when did your interest in birds start? Or more importantly, when did I go from being a bird watcher to a “birder.” If you are interested in planting native, like I was a while back, just know that an interest in birds will not be far behind. You have been warned! If native plants and shrubs are in the ground around  your home, you’ll be eating breakfast with binoculars just like me.

We were slowly transforming the landscaping around our yard to berry-producing shrubs and pollinator friendly plants. We were taking care of the area in which we called home. 

Around 2016 I began to notice a new bird around my home for the first time. It was also around this time that we had begun to replace drab, existing builder grade landscaping to native plants and native grasses. Later on…trees and shrubs too!

This new bird I took note of was unlike any backyard bird I had ever before seen. It spent most of its time in the air, for one. (Unlike the common feeder birds that I normally saw perched or feeding). It also had the most amazing colored feathers. It was snow white below, and Mediterranean blue above with long tuxedo-like tails. It was stunning. I was amazed to discover that this bird came to my backyard in the Spring, having traveled all the way from Central America!!!!! Let me repeat that, it traveled all the way from Central America.

From that moment, the view outside my windows and the area around my home became my distraction. It also became my passion. My family joined in, as they too noticed new things like the shapes of leaves. Not just a “tree”, but a white oak. Not just a bird, but a male downy woodpecker.

Shortly thereafter, the area around our front and back yards became our everyday joy. Since that time, I see my backyard and front yard change not with months passing on the calendar. But instead, I notice changes in migration that bring new birds, I notice shadows that cast different lights, and I notice sounds of different creatures creating a host of sounds throughout the day and night. Changes that come because of the native plants we put there.