Bird’s Eye View – January 2026

Hello Friends- 

It’s been a rough start to the New Year. I’ve been very shaken up by  Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) supervisor Jonathan Ross shooting protestor Renee Nicole Good in the head and killing her on a south Minneapolis neighborhood street on January 7. I know you too are upset at seeing masked gunslingers shoving people around and targeting people of color.  It is just all too much!

But once again birds and being together with our birding community gives me hope for the future. I hope you had the chance to hear Tammah Watts’ inspiring presentation on our Bird Alliance Webinair program on January 8. She gave us advice on how to handle and react to the tragedy of the shooting. She had us breathe in and out to center ourselves – not to forget about the tragedy, but to acknowledge we can rise to remain supportive of our community during this critical time.

Tammah told us how birdwatching helps us all calm down and improve our mental health.  Now more than ever birding in our parks, green spaces and at backyard feeders helps us see the bigger picture. She had us think about our earliest memory of a bird. And in so doing, we remember family members, earlier times, old neighborhoods, important connections.

Tammah Watts is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Certified Kripalu Mindful Outdoor Guide, California Naturalist, birder, and advocate for equitable access to nature, health, and mental wellbeing. Keep Looking Up: Your Guide to the Powerful Healing of Birdwatching, is her first book–a narrative memoir and guidebook with contemplative exercises– that chronicles her journey towards healing by meaningfully connecting with birds.

If you missed her talk or want to see it again, look for it on our YouTube channel.

If you would like to engage in birding adventures check out our events on our Saint Paul Bird Alliance website. We have had a lot of fun recently on our January birding events. 

On New Year’s Day we gathered at Kap’osia Landing Park in South Saint Paul to watch scores of Bald Eagles. We saw some Eagles on nests already! Many people, new to our group, joined in the fun. One young woman using our loaner binoculars watched a Common Goldeneye on the Mississippi . Suddenly she shouted, “I just saw a Duck eat a Fish!” The joy was contagious.

A few days later we were at the Visitor Center at Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington to celebrate National Bird Day. A mom and her young son Liam sat with us watching the Center’s expansive feeder system. Liam drew a marvelous side silhouette of one of the Tom Turkeys at the feeders. He has begun his Big Year tabulating species after watching the movie of the same name.

We’re looking forward to making new connections at upcoming birding events including Owl Prowls in Arden Hills,  Winter Birding at Silverwood Park in Saint Anthony, Birding and Wildlife Tracks at Pig’s Eye Chôkan Tanka Park, and return trip to the Visitor Center for feeder watching at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington.

Stay positive. Stay connected.

Art: Kiki Sonnen