Birdwatching or birding bestows many benefits. It can decrease stress, sharpen concentration and let you impress your friends when you can identify birds on a whim (that skill comes after A LOT of practice though). Birding gives you the opportunity to explore new places, whether it be your backyard or a whole different country. While it is up to you how much you are willing to invest in this hobby, it’s definitely worth your while to try the activity at least once. Not sure how to start? Continue reading to learn about the basics of birding.

Materials involved: Apps and binoculars

As a college student, being frugal is at the forefront of my mind. Which I think is one of the main reasons why I, a 20-year-old woman, enjoy this activity so much. We live in a world where technology is at our fingertips. And one of these pieces of technology directly instigates my passion for birds. I use a lot of different apps for bird guides. Bird guides are field guides — books that help us identify what the heck it is we are looking at. For me, my guides come in the form of the Audubon app, ebird.com, and ibird. However, there are lots more to choose from, even actual books!

Audubon

You can downloaded this app right on your phone. I usually use this when I can’t identify a bird immediately when I view it. I simply input all of the information about the bird I observed, and the app narrows down a long list while keeping in mind the date and location of where I am. 

eBird.com

When using eBird I feel like a scientist! I use this tool to record all of my bird observations. It helps birders engage in something called citizen science. This term allows people a part of the general public a way to collaborate with scientists to better understand the natural world surrounding us.

ibird

iBird is another field guide. It allows you to use pictures to identify birds that they may encounter on their birding treks. 

Binoculars

I also use binoculars when I go birding. I’ve been using the same pair of binoculars for the past fifteen or so years. Now, these are not the most expensive binoculars. I just take good care of them the entire time they’ve been in my possession. That goes to show how important it is to take care of your stuff! Any pair of binoculars can be used for birding. But I would recommend choosing a pair that is comfortable for you, and easy for you to maneuver. The ones with difficult-to-use adjustable knobs don’t serve me well, but they might be for you!

Notice how I only listed two things for materials? I would argue that you don’t even need those! You can also use a physical field guide if you have one showcasing birds in your area. Birding can be as intense as you make it. If you want to go on a hike and try to identify birds from memory as they fly past you, go for it! The activity is extremely versatile and can be tailored to just about anybody. Now how is that for inclusivity?

How to bird

When I was little, I would go birding with my grandfather. This in itself is an indirect benefit of birding. The memories and appreciation for those people in your life. Without my grandpa’s influence, I probably would not be working for the Montana Audubon today! I have so many memories of us going on both dedicated bird excursions and also just walking outside and identifying them. 

When my grandpa and I would go on those dedicated bird excursions, we would always check the weather beforehand and make sure we had a list of potential birds that we would see that day so we weren’t going into the activity blindly. When we made these lists, we took into account where we were in Northeastern Ohio so we would not expect any tropical birds to cross our paths. We would also note how cold or warm it was that day, what time of the day and year it was, and if we were wearing clothes and shoes that would not deter birds from going to our general location. Camouflaging was always the most fun part for a five-year-old girl to navigate. I got to play dress up and have fashion shows, then I got to bird at the end of them with my favorite human being. 

Birding responsibly is something that should always be at the forefront of any recreators mind. We want to respect and take care of the environment just as much as we want to enjoy all that it has to offer us, right? So keep that in mind while you enjoy the sight and sound of a Black-capped Chickadee ordering its favorite food, a “cheeeeseburger” or while you are watching a Red-tailed hawk soaring past the river you decided to walk along.

The post Birding basics appeared first on Outdoor Writers Association of America.

Growing up, I tagged along with my grandma on trips. We hiked in the woods of northeastern America, played in the rivers, and caught crawdads in central Ohio. We traveled by train to New York City and walked across the Brooklyn Bridge — deciding what cheap off-broadway show to see that night. My nomadic tendencies exist because of this woman. Without her, I would not have a curious mind and would not be yearning to see what else is out there to explore. 

Of course, I took my grandmother for granted. She died my senior year of high school and I lost the guidance of my crystal-loving, essential oil-using, vagabond grandmother. When she died, I wanted to leave and start my journey to college immediately. I wanted to escape into my studies and focus on being as successful as her. I wanted to set myself up so that I could afford to travel and explore as much as she had done in her life. Most importantly, I wanted to leave my hometown. Her death made me realize how ephemeral life is and it scared me into seeing the world even more. 

My grandmother gave me the affordance of not being complacent.

Wandering 

When it was time for me to choose a college, I followed the money. I attended an institution that gave me a full-ride scholarship in the most desolate place I could think of, Columbus, Ohio. While I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to not be in debt, I hated living in that city. I wanted a river to swim, fish, or boat in. I wanted trails and waterfalls. I struggled with the feeling of contempt for my decision. I met a lot of cool people and attended THE Ohio State University, but I needed more excitement than the identity of the school.

I joined a mountaineering club during my freshman year of college. I rock-climbed in the Red River Gorge on the weekends, took impromptu trips to the Dolly Sods Wilderness, and endured frozen toes and nearly frostbitten fingertips on Snowshoe Mountain excursions in West Virginia.. 

During the winter of 2020, my life changed forever. I climbed Mount Washington with ten people I had never met before. Driving to New Hampshire entailed a lot of off-key singing and admiring the snow on the New England mountaintops. The climb involved a lot of whiskey-slappin’ once we summited the mountain and well-deserved street tacos after we returned to base camp. Driving back to Columbus, we listened to Mt. Joy and enjoyed extended car naps. Without this trip, I wouldn’t have had conversations about exploring the Wild West, and I would never have applied to work in Montana during the Summer of 2021- which proved to be one of the most transformational experiences of my life. 

Creating opportunities

Not only did my first time living in Montana grant me experience with the United States Forest Service. It also connected me with a great group of people. My innate purpose to wander around the country showed during that summer. I traveled to Glacier National Park and slept next to a fire with a group of people who lived in their cars and performed in a band called the “Bushwackers.” I explored the wild Yellowstone backcountry with my best friend. I visited my aunt — who I didn’t know existed until I first moved to Montana — on her ranch in Libby, Montana, and helped saddle her eleven horses for a 7-mile trail ride in the Kootenai Forest. I sat up at night and became enchanted by the glimmering stars in northern Montana. I like to say that I have more couches to crash on in the West than I do in Ohio, the state where I spent the majority of my life. 

When I left  Montana to go back to school, I refused to stop traveling. I visited friends in West Virginia and spent weekends camping in parts of the Appalachian trail using Dorito chips as firestarters, or traveling to northwest Kentucky’s wilderness to explore caves with my little brother — avoiding cave crickets and going “dinosaur hunting” near Mammoth Cave National Park. I even decided to finish my last semester of college online so I could return to Montana. 

Seeking new adventures

From what I’ve learned, life is what you make of it. I want my life to be filled with exciting stories. I want to tell people about the crazy treks I’ve done with the people I meet along the way, like hiking with a retired smokejumper who had spent the majority of his life parachuting into wildfires. I want to tell stories about the wildlife I encounter while doing those things, like watching my friend mistake a black bear in Glacier National Park for a cow and walking toward it, then realizing that it was in fact, not a cow. I want to find free campsites to share with other travelers.

So, if you seek adventure, go climb that mountain or jump off that cliff. Quit that corporate job that you dread waking up for every day. Build out your dream van and travel the country or thru-hike the PCT. 

The post Outdoor reflections: Complacency, a vagabond Grandmother and an adventurous destiny appeared first on Outdoor Writers Association of America.

I migrated to Montana in the summer of 2021 for an internship with the Montana Conservation Corps (MCC). While sitting on a Zoom call with the rest of the MCC team, I saw a familiar name on the call. That name belonged to a girl named Lindsay. I  recognized her name from a club  I belonged to while attending Ohio State University. We were both Buckeyes! And we were both in the mountaineers club mutual friends. So naturally, I messaged her in the Zoom chat, “O-H!” When I got the “I-O” response back, I knew I  just made a new friend. 

While serving in Great Falls, Montana, Lindsay served as a conservation fellow in  Yellowstone National Park and sprayed invasive plants with herbicides to keep them from spreading and ruining the native plants of the park. When you move to Montana for the first time, you are expected to visit the most iconic places in the state. I knew I was going to visit Yellowstone at some point that summer, but finding a friend who was actually living there made the need to go a lot stronger.

Driving down highway 89

We figured out which dates made the most sense for me to visit and planned my five-hour road trip. Leading up to the trip, I would visit travel blogs and map out all of the “must see” attractions at Yellowstone. If I was going there for the first time, I wanted to get the full experience. During my free time at work, I studied paper maps and used sharpies to plan my route if my  Garmin GPS failed. I drove to Yellowstone from Great Falls, Montana taking in mountains and stopping to see dinosaur bones. When I arrived, I put my paper map to use and made it from the North to West entrances of the park with ease. 

This was the first time I met Lindsay in person and we immediately got along. We shared some things about ourselves leading up to the trip, as a lot of internet friends do. We have A LOT of mutual friends, we just never got the chance to meet before we moved across the country! Once we met in person, we both quickly figured out our personalities and humor were the same, which was extremely comforting.  

Wildlife encounters

On our first  8-mile hike near one of the prettiest lakes, I have ever visited. My legs felt the elevation changes and countless switchbacks we navigated. I wasn’t worried about that. But I was more worried about being gored by a bison coming out of nowhere. 

After many national park visits, I’d never encountered wildlife. On this hike,  I saw so many wild bison. It fulfilled a childhood dream I never realized I possessed until then. The animals are so pretty to look at, they just seemed so at peace with their lives. 

When we finished the hike, I noticed a car pile-up about a half mile away from us. It was a bear jam! This was the moment I had been waiting for since the day I found out I was moving to Montana. Lindsay stopped the car for me to look at the bears with binoculars from inside the car. She knew how excited I was to see bears since they were my favorite animal. And it was two grizzly bears. One was clearly a mother as it was bigger and the other in its youthful beginnings. There were lots of deep scars on the side of the mama bear’s belly. There was nothing quite like them.

Back at the ranger station, I felt immense pain in the backs of both of my heels. I took off my hiking boots and two pairs of socks to discover two of the most colossally grotesque blisters on each of my feet. I’ll spare the images of these blisters (yes, I took pictures) but let it be known if there were a contest for the worst feet injuries (aside from breaking) that came from a hike, I’d be in the running for a ribbon. 

After cleaning up from the day’s excursion, we started a campfire. Once the flames started roaring, other station residents showed up. We laughed and roasted marshmallows. There were three biotechnicians, another conservation fellow, and a man named Dan. The conversations that night brought about some of the most significant stitch-in-your-side laughs I ever experienced. 

Appreciating what life has to offer

The next day, blisters and all, we journeyed on another hike. This time it was to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. I would argue that this was one of the prettiest giant holes in the ground ever. I took a lot of pictures and selfies with this landscape and have subsequently made it the cover photo for all two of my social media accounts. During the hike, I had a revelation that this was where I needed to be. This place made me realize I want to see more of our planet. This experience also showed me that I should do whatever I can to protect it from long-term damage. The orange hues glimmering on the rocks as the sun rose over the canyon made me feel warm and fuzzy inside. When I’m feeling stressed, I remember that feeling and remind myself that there are bigger things in life than what is bothering me. Like seeing all the natural beauty such as this iconic landscape.

After that hike it was time for me to leave Yellowstone National Park. I reluctantly drove to the North entrance of the park. Before officially leaving it, however, I bought a sticker for my water bottle to commemorate the experience that not many 18-year-old girls get to have. Looking back on that trip, I realize that I have so much potential to live as a free spirit. Being a young woman who isn’t tied down anywhere, I have the affordance to go explore and learn and see some amazing things. This trip proved to me that I can do that, and since then I have acquired a lot more stories just like this one to share. 

If you’re contemplating visiting Yellowstone National Park or another outdoor destination on your bucket list. This is your sign! It may change the trajectory of your life as it did mine. It may give you a deeper connection with nature. And it may give you blisters to wear as a badge.

_____________

Looking to connect with other outdoor writers and communicators?

OWAA provides resources to help our members flourish as outdoor communicators and establish themselves as industry leaders. We create opportunities to make valuable industry and personal connections, sharpen professional skills, showcase work and gain access to in-demand educational resources and mentorship opportunities. Individual member benefits include:  

• Professional Development
• Professional Resources
• Mentorship
• Discounts & Health Insurance
• Learn More

“I’ve been in a number of writer groups — travel writers, baseball writers, pro football writers, motorsports writers — and so far OWAA is far, far better than all of them in terms of welcoming, declaring and pursuing its mission, etc.”

– Matt Crossman 

Learn more about joining OWAA!

The post Adventures in Yellowstone National Park: This may be your sign to visit appeared first on Outdoor Writers Association of America.

As a young girl, I was always curious. I had a Pinterest board full of hikes to go on, and trip itineraries to places all over the world. I knew I was going to experience a lot of things and venture out into the world on my own, although I had no idea where those adventures would take me. 

Many people hear the phrase “make sure to travel when you’re young,” and ignore it. Maybe they’re afraid to step out of their comfort zone and embrace the unknown. 

I’m lucky enough to have role models in my life who led by example and strived to experience everything there was to experience, both good and bad. Those role models lived without regrets, and I followed in their footsteps. For most people, it’s entirely too daunting to make impulsive travel decisions and then act on them. 

I think that it is all too important for individuals to capitalize on these experiences. Unless we make these decisions, we will miss out on life-changing and meaningful experiences, lessons on being adaptable, and engagement with people unlike those they are used to interacting with on a daily basis.  

Seize the moment

Great Falls, Montana. A place characterized by its rich heritage based on the impacts of the Lewis and Clark expedition in the early 1800’s, waterfalls, springs, and the C.M. Russell Museum — featuring art exhibits showcasing what the West as it once was. I had the privilege of experiencing what it was like to be a resident of this city during the summer of 2021. 

As a college freshman majoring in environmental science, I was burdened with the stress of finding an internship. So, I researched the most impactful internships I could think of. One of my options was the Montana Conservation Corps. My story begins there.

In 1990, a team of people from the Human Resource Development Council agencies formed the Montana Conservation Corps — a nonprofit organization rooted in helping the United States find solutions for community issues. 

So, when I discovered that this organization needed summer conservation interns, I applied immediately. During my initial interview, I talked about my passion for conservation education and how being exposed to such programs at an early age in my own life decided the trajectory of my professional career. This led me to be placed as a Conservation Intern at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center.

Venturing into uncharted territory

On my first day at the interpretive center, I underwent a crash course in Lewis and Clark history. I learned about the impacts the Corps of Discovery made by mapping uncharted lands, and the medicinal and utilitarian uses for various herbs and plants, like when Merriwether Lewis fell ill and boiled the twigs of a chokecherry plant into stock in order to feel better. 

I also learned about the relations the Corps had with Native American tribes and the role of animals in the expedition. The rudimentary AP United States History course I took in high school did not prepare me for the amount of knowledge thrown at me.

I was shell-shocked at first. I didn’t understand how Lewis and Clark were related to the environment. As time passed and my skills and knowledge developed, I learned that the expedition had everything to do with the environment. 

One of my main tasks at the interpretive center was to share with tourists how Lewis and Clark used the planet and its natural resources to survive the expedition. For example, without cottonwood trees, Lewis, Clark, and the Corps of Discovery would not have been able to make the dugout canoes they used for the expedition or have firewood and other tools they needed to survive the exposure to the elements. 

Lewis and Clark learned from the Shoshone tribe that traveled with them. Sacagawea not only served as a primary communicator for the Corps, but she also identified natural landmarks that enabled the Corps to successfully navigate mountain passes. She taught them which herbs could help heal small cuts, remedy small sprains, and which plants were edible or not. This introduction to the Native American influence on the expedition is something I will cherish forever. It allowed me to develop a greater perception of the conflicts that this demographic still deals with today, and afforded me the realization that I could learn ways to help mitigate this knowledge barrier. 

Seeking happiness in new places

Great Falls is a change for a girl used to living in urban Ohio. I was exposed to wildfires and extreme heat, a broad ideological spectrum of beliefs, and extremely small-town life (relative to Cleveland, Ohio). I also met some of my very best friends. 

In May of 2021, I took a trip to Glacier National Park. I slept under the stars next to a bonfire and met a group of people that are now some of my very best friends. If we had not decided to stay at a particular campsite, I would have never met these people. I also stayed with some friends who were living at rangers’ stations in Yellowstone National Park. 

I experienced a behind-the-scenes look at one of the country’s most notable National sites while fulfilling my lifelong dream of seeing a grizzly bear through binoculars. I explored the Badlands, Mount Rushmore the Corn Palace in South Dakota, and the Crazy Horse Memorial in Rapid City, and witnessed my first big-horn sheep crossing. Without my major career anxiety, I would have never been able to gather such incredible memories.

This internship wasn’t what I expected, but I will never take the experience for granted. I explored National Parks, watered cottonwood trees along the Missouri River, built and maintained several trails along the Continental Divide, drove across the country (twice) as an 18-year-old girl (talk about empowering!), developed a love for snakes, bison, and birds, made more friends and connections with strangers in Montana than I ever had in Ohio, and learned that I belong in the nonprofit world. 

Unfortunately, all things must end at some point. I left Montana in August of 2021 at the and returned to The Ohio State University. I knew I would return to the West eventually. All of my friends were still there after all. So as a senior in college, I made it happen. I finished enough school to give myself the ability to finish my last semester online and return to work with the Montana Conservation Corps for another term. 

This time I’m living in the Beartooth Wilderness doing what I love the most, teaching environmental education. I know I’ll have even more experiences that will last me a lifetime whilst not knowing where I will be a year from now. And that is the most exciting thing for me. 

Stepping out of your comfort zone can lead to the unexpected, and may even change your life forever. I started all of this to feel validated as a college student trying to find her way in the world. Now, spur-of-the-moment travel decisions make up a great part of my life story. This all happened because I said “yes.”

Lily Simon is a current OWAA journalism intern.

The post Saying yes: How stepping out of your comfort zone can change your life forever appeared first on Outdoor Writers Association of America.