Mental health on the brain
I thought I had lost my passion for birding. I felt like I was slacking, I felt like I was in a rut. Then, I heard a lovely mixed flock at work one brisk February morning and was SO ELATED. That familiar chorus reminded me that it was warming up in Georgia! I wanted to grab the bins immediately; however, being at my place of employment I settled for practicing my call ID with my Merlin Bird ID app. My heart felt so satiated and I realized I hadn’t lost my passion, I just had SBW, “Seasonal Birding Withdrawals” (yes I just made that up). Having dealt with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), it’s the first thing I could liken to the winter sapping the excitement of birding out of me. In conclusion, no the passion isn’t gone and I have chosen to take my passion in a new direction, mental health and birding. I will focus on building the bridge between mental health and birding and how YOU can use them to help foster growth. If you know someone with a little SBW send them a bird video ASAP and follow this year’s events, outlined below!
Sheridan Alford on Birding and Mental Health
May 31, 2022
Listen Here. Observing the natural world to feel grounded.
Discover Colorful Birds with a Black Birder
June 1, 2022 at 11:00 AM EDT
Designed for children ages 5-8. Registration required. Virtual Event. Brought to you by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Museum
The MEntal Health benefits of birding
June 1, 2022 at 7:00 pM EDT
Click here to register for the event. Virtual Event. Brought to you by BirdNote and Black AF in STEM
