Hello There!

Hello there! This is my first post EVER. This blog is mainly intended as a documentation of my journey from bird and nature lover to birder and nature photographer. Warning: I am an amateur at best! The isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused me to spend more time outdoors than ever. Fortunately, I have wonderful friends who I spend this outdoorsy time with. These friends have inspired me in many ways over the years. Most recently, they have inspired me to shut up and look around. Oh my, the birds are everywhere! Nature is all around us!! Birding on an almost daily basis has become my joy, my passion. I no longer go outdoors without my binoculars. I have invested in a stronger lens for my camera. Bird songs and sounds are no longer the white noise in the background, but the focus of my listening. It is like a meditation.

This site is named 35sparrows because in my attempt to identify what type sparrow I was eyeing, I found out there are thirty five species of sparrows in North America alone! Dang!! There are forty two references to sparrows in the Bible. There is symbolism connected to the sparrow in our society–common, plain, simple, humble little birds. But sparrows are extraordinary, actually. They are prolific, plentiful, diverse, and some make the most beautiful music! So, I thought using “sparrows” in my name would be fitting as related to the plain and simple reference. Being new to birding, I have found the fact that there are thirty five species of sparrows in North America alone to be a little intimidating.

At the beginning of this journey, I have categorized birds in general terms–a sparrow, a hawk, a crow, a wren, etc. As the months have gone by, the categories have become more specific–a song sparrow, a Cooper’s hawk, a house wren, etc. This transition has happened pretty organically.

How about you? Do you like birding? Are you a beginner like me or a seasoned veteran? I would love to hear from you about your experiences, tips and thoughts! Above is a photo of a song sparrow taken by a dear friend on one of HER birding adventures.