Telluride Times, June 11, 2026

“There is an unreasonable joy to be had from the observation of small birds going about their bright, oblivious business”
― Grant Hutchison,

Recently someone somewhere wrote that at a certain point your adult life, you will start to notice birds. if this has not happened yet to you, it still may.

(As an aside, I will say that for friends of mine in New York, it may never happen; because what they notice almost exclusively are the infamous urban pigeons, numbering an estimated 4-9 million. Each one of these birds produces around 25 pounds of poop per year; and because of all the trash they eat, it is highly acidic. It damages property. It traumatizes uncovered heads. Ew. This being said, they is a massive number of happy birders in NYC. )

And we lucky ducks are in Colorado, which ranks in the top ten states for numbers of bird species, surprising in that we are a landlocked state. Geographical diversity gives us our ornithological edge; and in our specific location of San Miguel and Ouray counties, there are between approximately 140-230 bird species.

The closest birding “hotspot” according to the National Audubon Society is the Colorado National Monument, right outside Grand Junction. And the closest bird sanctuary (the designation of which legally protects them and their habitats) is the Audubon Nature Preserve, also in Grand Junction, right on the Colorado River.

Amongst ourselves as a micro-population, it’s likely we represent the full spectrum of avian awareness from those on binoculared pilgrimages to those only tuned into the particularly badass, bright or swift — to those who have not really taken note at all, as yet.

Maybe your gateway birds were hummingbirds at the feeder, with their cuteness and aggression, their shimmering and iridescent coats of armor. Or maybe to this day it is the Canada geese, hawks or herons that hail you, get you to stand taller and take note. The robin’s song at dawn, the swoop of swallows, grosbeaks at the feeder, vultures grouping together in the morning to spread their wings before a day of soaring and cleaning things up.

In my personal “birdscape,” the mountain bluebird is the one that changes my nervous system on contact, every time one comes into view. They are shards of cerulean sky pasted to wings, a blue so blue it gets stuck in your throat and behind your eyeballs. In utter sweetness, they follow a person from fence post to post, as if to say, “Lighten up, friend; the sky is always blue somewhere.”

What birding gifts us all is an experience somewhat similar to mine. It allows us to step out of the frantic digital buzz of modern life and be present. When you stand still enough to watch red-winged blackbirds flock to a tree, all trilling like today were their first and last day on Earth, or a pair of mallards bobbing contentedly down the river, you are no longer a passive observer. In a profound shift, you walk through a curtain to become a participant, fully engaged with all five senses.

And yes, there are health benefits. Turns out birds, sparkly gold threads in the technicolor fabric of nature, may be here to help you and your nervous system feel good and heal. They can boost mood (visually and aurally) for up to eight hours. They can lower cortisol, induce a mindful state, foster awe (dopamine), and reduce mental fatigue. One recent study found avian expertise (the ongoing study of birds and accumulation of knowledge) can rewire cognition and boost parts of the memory.

Just a couple of weeks ago, an article in The New York Times, “7 Podcasts About the Joys of Bird-Watching,” described these shows as “expert advice and fun facts that will help both novices and enthusiasts get the most out of tuning into the winged world.” The operative words here are “tuning in,” as it counterbalances less healthy forms of tuning out, or distraction. My favorite of these podcasts were BirdNote Daily, a five-minute exploration of sounds and info. And Bring Birds Back from the same people at BirdNote. 

Today through the power of technology, an app like Merlin Bird ID from Cornell University can identify bird songs or calls, provide and store images, and keep a record of yourself as a chronicler. With such software, it is no wonder that there is a new generation of birders padding through marshes and mountains  for glimpses into the secret lifestyles of these living dinosaurs we call birds. It simply is never too late to be mystified, awed and captivated.

And you don’t even have to know their names or migration patterns to love them dearly.