During this pandemic one of the safest forms of recreation is birding. It’s an activity you can do away from crowds in the woods, or if you have space, in your backyard.

If it’s not an activity you’re familiar with, we have you covered.
Recently, Explorer contributor Molly Ormsbee produced a video on the topic that you can find on our website. In the video, birder and photographer Larry Master provides tips about bird houses, feed, and other information to get you started.

“Hearing the sounds of the birds and seeing them is a great, great therapy. It’s just endless entertainment if you’re interested in nature,” says Master.

Readers of the Explorer and naturalists in the Adirondacks should be familiar with Master. He’s on the Explorer’s board of directors and his wildlife photos have been featured in the magazine for years.

One of the great things about Master, who for many years served as chief zoologist for The Nature Conservancy and NatureServe, is he’s always interested in sharing his knowledge. Last fall, he took the Explorer staff on a trip to view hundreds of snow geese near Lake Champlain. It was an amazing spectacle, especially when the birds were spooked by a passing helicopter and lifted into flight.

This video is another example of him sharing his knowledge, so I encourage you to check it out. You’re likely to learn something new and perhaps pick up a new hobby.

Click here to watch: https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/the_video_room/how-to-get-started-in-backyard-birding

For more ways to get started with bird watching, check out NYS DEC’s “I Bird NY” Challenges.

Editor’s note: This column first appeared in Adirondack Explorer’s weekly “Backcountry Journal” newsletter. Sign up here: https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/newsletters