Feeding birds leads to 'happy and generous' feeling

A few weeks ago I was asked to participate in a focus group organized by Ira Kaufman at Lynchburg College. The topic under discussion was feeding birds and included both problems encountered by those who first attempt to set up and operate bird feeders as well as the rewards of feeding birds. The participants varied widely in terms of age, experience with bird feeding, and knowledge of birds.

Without doubt, I was the most experienced of the group, having operated bird feeders for more than 40 years. In fact, my participation in this fascinating activity is actually even longer because I remember sitting with my grandmother when I was just a kid and listening to her tell me about the birds at her window feeder. However, that evening I learned something from another member of our focus group, who was among the youngest, a 9-year-old girl.

When asked how we felt when we offered food for the birds, her reply was, "happy and generous." Of course, I knew that I enjoyed feeding birds … otherwise I would not have kept doing it for so long. However, I don’t think that I’d ever realized what fundamental reward I received from this activity, but she named it with unerring accuracy.

After our house fire, we moved into an apartment while the repairs to our home were underway and when we arrived, we had a bed and two chairs. So, what was the first thing that I felt compelled to do? I purchased and set up two bird feeders on our patio and only after that was accomplished did I begin looking for a table on which John and I could have our meals. At that point in my life, I guess that I needed to feel generous and happy and I knew exactly what to do to get that feeling, even if I were not consciously aware of how I could produce it.

The subject of next Wednesday’s meeting of the Lynchburg Bird Club will be feeding birds. I will present a program featuring different types of feeders, varieties of seed, plant species that are attractive to birds and suggestions for coping with squirrels; I also will try to answer questions that pertain to this popular hobby. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. on Oct. 12 in Room 315 of the Martin Science Hall on the campus of Randolph College. The bird club meetings are open to the public and this meeting will be especially for appropriate for everyone who would like to improve their feelings of generosity and happiness.

News and notes

» The Lynchburg Bird Club will sponsor a fieldtrip to Campbell and Appomattox counties on Saturday, October 8. Meet at 7:15 a.m. at Fairview Square Shopping Center on Florida Avenue near the intersection of Campbell Avenue. The Campbell County portion of the trip will end around noon; if you plan to go on to Appomattox County, please bring lunch. For more information, call 993-3119.

» The Lynchburg Bird Club lost a good friend on September 27 when Dr. Ernest Edwards died. Known to his friends as Buck, Dr. Edwards taught for many years at Sweet Briar College and had been a member of the Virginia Society of Ornithology for 73 years. There will be a memorial service on Oct. 8 at 2:30 p.m. in the Commons at Westminster Canterbury.

Dalmas, a naturalist, writes a weekly column for The News & Advance. Readers may email her at jtdalmas@juno.com.