Cold temperatures are on their way out and mornings filled with birdsong are flying in.

Spring heralds the beginning of wildlife waking up from its winter slumber, or returning home from migrations in the case of birds. It makes for a great opportunity to observe them going about building nests and foraging for food.

Bird watching is a fun activity for anyone of any age and it’s easy to get involved. Local bird watcher Bruce Atnip assures that very little is needed to start enjoying bird watching.

“You can simply observe with your eyes. You can also use binoculars or a good camera and photograph your bird friends,” says Atnip. “Remember to be mindful of your environment. Don’t trash a place and don’t invade someone else’s space or trespass. Don’t touch nests or eggs. The quieter you are, the more songs the birds will offer.”

This time of year has a cast of colorful birds for viewing pleasure, including cardinals, a variety of woodpeckers, finches, mourning doves, nuthatches and more.

“Peterson’s Field Guide to Birds has an extensive list of native birds,” advises Atnip. “You will even see rare or odd varieties of birds from time to time like gulls and others that are out of their normal zones.”

Birds have a special interest in food and spend much of their waking life looking for insects, seeds and other items appropriate for their diet. This drive to feed can make an excellent tool for luring birds into your viewing range by setting up bird feeders. Be warned, however, that bread is not biologically appropriate for birds and can cause them a great deal of harm. Instead, Atnip suggests feeding them seed mixtures or suet in lieu of bread.

When placing your feeders, it is important to place them somewhere that gives you opportune visual access to the birds. “If you plan to view or photograph for a length of time, create a viewing area. Once situated, within 15 to 20 minutes the lunch crowd flies in,” explains Atnip. “I often sit in my vehicle with a window down and camera pointed at the feeders. Once I get quiet, the gang comes back to eat.”

Between fill-ups, the feeders should be cleaned properly as they can promote harmful pathogen growth and infect the birds feeding from it if left unclean. A diluted bleach solution, one part bleach to nine parts water, is a great formula for cleaning them. After allowing the feeder to dry, it is ready to be refilled and replaced for the birds to enjoy once again.

Viewing your local feathered friends is a great way to reduce stresses and slow the rapid pace daily in which life seems to run.

“Birdwatching and photographing not only aids in science research and education, it provide a great way to relieve stress,” says Atnip. “It offers calm as you watch the antics of some bird visitors, while enjoying the concert – a song that truly cannot be described in words, but fills us with joy and peace.”