Birding is for everyone – Really!

I left Ohio today, exhilarated after taking in a weekend of non-stop nature with friends old and new to kick off the annual Biggest Week in American Birding in Northwest Ohio, sponsored by the Black Swamp Bird Observatory. The festival boardwalk bordering Lake Erie, is a place where the most unusual migratory bird species land to rest before continuing their journey northward across the Great Lake. This year’s festival theme is “Birding for Everyone”, to help more people engage with an activity that supports both personal enjoyment …

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes – Marcel Proust

David Lindo, also known as The Urban Birder came to the San Francisco Bay Area yesterday to do a talk about his experiences birding around the world in urban centers, most notably in his hometown of London, England, where he is a well-known featured bird expert on television and radio. Lindo spreads the gospel of practical nature. Meaning, you don’t have to travel to exotic locations to find rare and delightful bird …

We are so proud and grateful to have spent another day with Northern California Outdoor Afros in partnership with Golden Gate Audubon. Together, we connected more people to our local natural assets to help preserve and enjoy them with others. It was such a perfect day. The warmth of the sun and people who attended made us all forget it was still winter.
Outdoor Afro Leader Cliff and Keshia of GGAS discuss native plants
Clay, the official Outdoor Afro bird specialist!
Thirty Outdoor Afros and fifty more attendees from Girls Inc., California Conservation …

Check out this recent trip report from Outdoor Afro Leader Vi Ama out of Chicago!
Outdoor Afro Chicago volunteer day was held last Saturday at Montrose Bird Point Sanctuary. Montrose Bird Point Sanctuary is a hidden jewel located in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood. The 15-acre property also known as the Magic Hedge Sanctuary was previously leased by the military.
Since the 1980s birders and the city of Chicago have transformed this park into one of the Midwest’s leading parks for bird watchers and migrating birds. The sanctuary includes a bathhouse, sand dunes, beach …

Guest Blog Submission and photos by Outdoor Afro Leader, Cliff Sorrell of a recent trip lead in the San Francisco Bay Area. 
Outdoor Afros recently took on Point Pinole Regional Shoreline in Richmond, CA – it was such a great time! About thirty-five people of all ages and from all over the Bay Area came together to hike, learn the history of Point Pinole, and identify local birds with the help of Golden Gate Audubon volunteer docents.

The hike was approximately 4 miles in length with some gentle slopes. The trail had …

This is how I began my group introduction this weekend at a summit of leading bird and travel bloggers from around the United States in Tucson, Arizona. In this crowd, I considered labeling myself a birder risky, like I might be ousted as an imposter from the group of world traveled birding experts with hundreds of species on their life lists.
But Sharon Stiteler — otherwise known as “Birdchick” challenged me.

“Do you own a pair of binoculars?” she asked.
“Um, yeah,” I said.
“And how many bird books do you own?”
I stared at …

An ancient sport, Falconry is the keeping and training of birds of prey.
Rodney Stotts is a Black falconer from Southeast Washington DC. He is the program director at Raptor and River/Environmental Education in connection with the Earth Conservation Corps along the Anacostia River.

Realizing that his lifestyle was not safe or sustainable, Stotts was drawn to falconry and river conservation as an alternative to jail, or perhaps more likely, death. “I found that my love for the environment and raptors was greater than the love for drug dealing.” Stotts explained.
According to Stotts, falconry …

“Afro Sheen handles the hawk!”
I just came across this fascinating old-school commercial on YouTube that at first had me excited to see the iconic 70′s “afro” in its full splendor – and the line of products devoted to maintaining it. But as I watched, my heart sank, as I observed in just mere seconds a not-so-subtle rivalry between nature (in this case birds) and looking good. Sadly, the message of the video was that you have to defeat “mean dirty” nature in order to preserve your crowning glory.
Might we love …

A friend tonight shared with me this lovely, and inspiring video narrated by the late Wangari Maathai.
How can you do your best by nature?

I have come to love birding, especially in areas close to where I live. This weekend, me and two other Outdoor Afros (Clay and Abu) came together as a result of our online planning to enjoy birds and nature near home at the Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline Park, a part of the East Bay Regional Park System.
The trip was a reminder that you don’t have to venture to remote areas or spend a lot of time to discover and benefit from the awesome bounty of nature.

I discovered in Clay …