Birding + Sketching = A Meaningful Connection with Nature

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Cooler, windier and more clouds than yesterday...BUT.....great morning sketching and lots of birds to be seen once I moved out of the woods and into the sun next to the stream.

Bird watching is fun. A decent pair of binoculars makes it really fun!  Sketching makes it more challenging but I find I learn so much more when I sketch what I observe, far more than just taking notes or checking off a bird on a list or in a field guide. 

Cameras bring me angst and frustration. I have a reasonable point and shoot with good zoom capacity but without a tripod it's tricky to get a good shot with zoom.  Plus viewing nature through that small LED display just doesn't cut it for me. I do take bird photos to work from when I want the opportunity to really study a particular bird, but it's not a labor of love like sketching is. 

I am however very thankful for my phone, because more than once I've had to look up a bird to double check the markings or the leg color once the bird has flown off and I'm still sketching.

There is something inherently educational and enriching about drawing and journaling your observations of the natural world. I think it satisfies, or at least partially satisfies our deep need for meaningful connection with nature.