Birds

A bird of the prairie and countryside, the western meadowlark releases songs synonymous with spring grasslands flush with balsam root, lupine, death camas, larkspur, prairie smoke, and wind tossed grasses that shimmer in morning sun.

Spring, though, again, is the moments. When our eyes flutter awake with birdsong; when light comes before alarms; when we begin to manifest all we longed for during the dreamt night.

For many of us who love the outdoors, the first half of March is a least favorite time of year. But if we close our eyes and listen, nature still can brighten the dingy days.

Utah biologists have been studying the state’s most elusive bird to learn more about its behavior and how to protect it in harsh mountain environments.

Across my years of exploring the majestic outdoors with young children, I’ve experimented with nature journaling.

When we’re out enjoying Utah’s backcountry in wintertime, we should always resist the temptation to have a close encounter of the wild kind.

I continue to be astonished by how much there is to appreciate and to learn from our surroundings. It’s amazing to see how just a little preparatory investigation can turn fleeting everyday moments into lifelong learning memories.

The Bridgerland Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count is always hosted on the first Saturday on or following December 14th, and we have been contributing Cache Valley, Utah data to the National Audubon database since 1956.

Mindful birding is a practice that incorporates a heightened awareness and deepens our relationships with birds and our connection to the natural world.

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food has confirmed the diagnosis of highly pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial poultry flock in Cache County.