Book Pick of the Month: Backyard Birds State Guides Series

Bill Fenimore is the author of 50 Backyard Birds state guides (Gibbs-Smith, Publisher) and owner of the Wild Bird Center, Layton, Utah. He is an avid birder and his greatest joy is too share his hobby with his grandchildren. Bill was a guest author of our eNewsletter last year and wrote an article about connecting kids to birds and nature.

Enjoy this brief excerpt from the article, or go to Birdfeeders.com now to read more, or to find out where you can purchase one of Bill’s books.

One of the delights that I experience on a daily basis in my Wild Bird Center is introducing children to nature.  When I was a child in the 50’s, the outdoor world was close to our doorstep.  It is further away for today’s youth due to urban and suburban sprawl.

Additionally, there are many competing interests for a family’s time today: sports, video games, computers, etc.  Just getting kids outside can be a challenge.  When you see children outside, it is usually on a soccer field rather than being a field, enjoying the natural world.

I have found that birding is a great keyhole into the natural world for families.  Birding was the pathway that I followed.  I began that journey watching my mother throw out bread crumbs for the birds. Read more.