I have always had a deep love for animals, so it makes sense that I’ve developed a passion for bird-watching.

When I was a teenager, I had my first pet, a tortoise shell cat named Raven.

She was my best friend, and I used to have trouble sleeping when she wasn’t by my side.

When she passed away during the coronavirus pandemic, I felt a hole was left unfilled, and when I moved out on my own, I would feed and spend time with local strays to fill it.

In 2025, I was working night-shift security and noticed crows socializing outside as I got out of work. 

I was fascinated by them, I started to take pictures and I would wave goodbye when I walked to my car.

I watched them play, eat and talk to each other. 

I was so amused by their little mannerisms and from there, I began noticing other birds early in the morning.

I saw California towhees, Anna’s hummingbirds, song sparrows and other birds I had never seen before.

I was miserable at my job, working full time through the night and only getting three hours of sleep before I went to school in the morning.

Learning about these little critters always makes my days a little bit brighter

I still wave to crows, though they only caw back at me.

And now I think there is nothing better than waking up in the early morning to the music of birds.

Where I live in Willow Glen, there are trees full of American Robins that talk their heads off all morning long. 

Now that I work in the morning, I get to see them off when I get up and I have been late a couple times because I was admiring them for a little too long. 

Birds are such wonderful creatures, though many tend to take them for granted. 

They are everywhere, hiding in plain sight, rummaging through rubble for a snack, but people often pass them by.

They have so much to say, there is so much diversity in their shapes, their colors, their songs and their personalities.

A bewick’s wren is sized at around five inches in length, while a Great Horned Owl can get up to five feet in length. 

Picking up bird-watching as a hobby has been one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Even when I am not able to go to nature reserves or hikes to find them in nature, I am still able to find a diverse amount of birds on campus to appreciate. 

Last week, I was able to see a red-tailed hawk, about 50 feet away from me, being harassed by crows. 

Watching its stoic form quietly and calmly observing the area while crows squawked from above left me in awe. 

I had certainly not expected such a large and majestic bird of prey to be seen on campus, but it only proves that if you pay attention to the nature around you, you can see some amazing things.

In December, I visited Año Nuevo State Park and saw a bald eagle perched on a tree, and the sight of it moved me.

Bird-watching has also allowed me to connect with others.

When I met my girlfriend, my wingman was literally a bird, a quail to be exact.

One of our first dates was to the Alviso Marina County Park, where we admired Great Egrets, marbled godwits, least terns, snowy egrets and black phoebes. 

That memory is fond to me, and just walking around the park and sitting to admire such beautiful creatures allowed us to bond so much.

It also allowed me to show her how passionate I was for them, which I think she appreciated.

I only wish I had started looking up at the trees sooner. 

There are few things outside of school and work that motivate me to get outside, but bird-watching has energized me to be fascinated with the world and all of its wonders.

Even if you do not own a pair of binoculars or a camera, bird-watching can be done anywhere and it allows you to connect and interact with nature in an exciting and educational way.