I wanted to start a short column highlighting the reasons our members enjoy birding. Please send us a short paragraph or two telling us why birding is part of your life. Whether you are brand new or have been birding all your life, please consider submitting. Birding is an activity that satisfies a wide range of interests and talents, from science to art.

So I will kick this off…

Birding is my happy place. It’s pretty much that simple, and profound for me. I feel joyful and thankful to be alive when I’m out watching and photographing our sacred birds. There is a primal yearning in me to be “in the wild”. Birds are omnipresent regardless of the time of year, and connect me to “the wild”. For me it’s both experiential and meditative.

Living with muscular dystrophy limits my physical abilities. But when I’m rolling around accessible birding locations in my super duper all-terrain wheelchair, there are no limits! Whether it’s watching one of our common local birds, seeing migratory birds start to arrive, or getting a glimpse of a rarity, it fills me with awe. I love the statement from Frank Lloyd Wright, “I believe in God, I call it Nature”. And yes, being with our sacred birds is a spiritual experience for me.

You can email me at sacaudubonpresident@gmail.com or just send a written letter to P.O. Box 160694, Sacramento CA 95816.

-Paul Miller, Sacramento Audubon President