Birding on de Road - Shadow Pines Nature Area

Toddler Nature/Bird Walk

When I left Upstate New York for island life 25 years ago, there was not a raptor or much else exciting to see. A swath of laws to help species recover after the ravages of DDT and other bad practices, have made a stunning difference. Further, a commitment to saving more green spaces over the last few years, is a welcome change.

While my nieces and nephew have grown up, their children are curious about nature. Thus my evil plot to convert them to birding humans, was put into play! Bird feeders and bird books have been added to the gift list with positive results.

My youngest nephew Thomas, thoroughly enjoys filling his feeder. Although more seed probably lands on the ground than in the feeder, he sees it as a regular part of his day.

At this point the part about sitting quietly and watching the birds at the feeder, is still a work in progress. But what can you expect at the ripe old age of 2!

With this in mind, we headed off for our first Nature Walk with Nana (my sister Pat.)

A few years ago, one of the many golf courses in our town came up for sale. The residents voted to buy the course and leave it as a forever wild area. They could have easily turned it into yet another overpriced housing development, but that was firmly rejected. It seemed like the perfect place to explore with a toddler.

Dotted with a variety of mature trees, a few random ponds, and golf cart trails for walking paths, there was much to see and experience for our inquisitive little one.

Our 45 minute hike included lots of wild flowers, a few squirrels, and bugs. Thomas loves to touch and smell things. It was a good chance to feel the prickly spikes of thistles and the velvety touch of Cattails. We carefully avoided touching the bees as they pollinated the wild flowers.

We also explored the ground, finding pine cones and nuts. It was a great chance to explain how those pesky Squirrels hoard the nuts for the long snowy winter ahead.

Although we saw and heard quite a few bird species, two is way too young to distinguish them by either site or sound. The goal was really to give him an opportunity to be aware of the places to look for them and raise awareness of the calls from the trees and pond.

Although I do not profess to be an expert in birding with toddlers, there are some pro tips I can share.

First and foremost, you know your child and their tolerance levels. Act accordingly.

Second, let them explore keeping in mind there might be things they shouldn’t get too close to. I suggest keeping your distance from bodies of water unless you are prepared for a possibly wet and slimy child. There are usually a lot of fun things in and around a pond to explore without actually getting wet.

Finally, climbing can be a very important part of the experience especially when you get that amazing smile!

Stay tuned as I continue my exploration of Upstate New York.