Madison Senior Center

Technically, the first official day of spring was marked on March 19. Although some days might not quite feel like spring yet, each day gets closer and closer to warm weather, green trees and flowers galore.

One of the most interesting and calming parts of spring is bird watching. This is a great exercise for relieving stress and anxiety and it is a fun way to do so. Birdwatching is also cognitively stimulating and allows you to learn more about animals and the environment, which helps to stimulate cognitive alertness, memory, and awareness of details.

Another advantage of birdwatching is that it is great for anyone, no matter their level of mobility. Bird watching can be done anywhere from the comfort of your own home to national parks in the wilderness. This is perfect during quarantine because we are unable to go anywhere but our own home anyway. 

One way to have an opportunity to bird watch every day from home is to hang bird feeders outside of your windows and doors. These bird feeders can be crafted out of a water bottle, or you can string Cheerios and hang them on a branch. If you would rather purchase a bird feeder, Amazon has a wide array of bird feeders and bird food that can easily be shipped to your house.

Birdwatching is a meaningful task that can be done at any time during the day. Watching birds from the comfort of your own home can become a daily task and may allow you to feel happier, less anxious, and more thankful for the environment. If bird watching isn’t for you, some squirrels love to take advantage of these feeders too! 

But really, it is important to find a way to enjoy spring and take advantage of anything that it offers. Do some research if you don’t know what might catch your attention and enjoy this season because it only stays for so long!