Its Fall: Bring on the Birds!

When Mom was in the moderately severe stage of Alzheimer’s disease and could no longer walk, she loved to sit in front of the backyard window and watch the birds. Seeing a bright red cardinal delighted her. She’d point to the birds and say “Oh Look!” all morning. Even though she didn’t have the language to tell us what she was seeing, it was clear that she was pleased and engaged. To make sure that we had a steady supply of birds each day, Dad and I hung a feeder not far from the window. My dad, who served as her fulltime caregiver, took care of filling the feeder and sweeping the shells off the patio. All that my mom needed to do was watch and enjoy the show.

My dad found bird watching as absorbing as my mom, but for a different reason. He’s very “scientific” so he liked learning about the various species that dropped by their yard throughout the year. He bought a bird guide and a small notebook to log what he’d seen. Watching the birds feed became a comfortable shared activity each day, and one that brought both of them pleasure. He’d tell my mom about the birds as he identified them, and she’d point out the ones she liked or thought were pretty. Later when we’d call or visit, we’d hear about the amazing show in the backyard. Dad taught my kids to identify quite a variety of birds – something they’ve retained into their teenage years and adulthood (amazing, since they remember so little I’ve told them).

Fall is a great time for bird watching and bird feeding. Birds are on the move, so species you might not ordinarily see may drop by for a visit. As the weather turns cold and food sources disappear, back yard feeders offer birds a lifeline.

For great tips on bird-watching and back yard feeders, see Project Feeder Watch at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. If you are a bird enthusiast, you can turn your backyard bird-watching into a scientific endeavor to provide data to scholars who study birds and their migration patterns. The project focuses on tracking birds during the winter months.

At Elderbridge Gifts, we offer a line of bird-watching products designed for all ages and all stages of aging. We carry Parasol bird feeders, exclusively, because of their beauty and quality. We also carry bird watching books and bird watching journals. We also carry the Identiflyer electronic bird song identifier to help people learn the source of the birdsongs that they hear in the yard or beyond.

If your loved one lives in a nursing home, check with staff to see if they will allow a feeder to be hung outside the window. Many facilities are agreeable to this, and it brings great pleasure to those who spend most of their life indoors.

Here are some additional resources on birds
Audubon Society’s “Bird Feeding Basics”
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology “All About Birds”