For the Love of a Greater Good

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Eli Schaffer

By: Eli Schaffer

A community of caring neighbors makes all the difference when times get tough. Just like the famous generosity of Greenwich, the interconnected lives of birds and other wildlife offer opportunities for neighborly love. Each of us has faced the realities, good and bad, of what we have, what we need and what matters most when things get tough. The same events that forced some into solitary living, forced others into home schooling, where some spent time in second homes, others are going on 11 months of occupying the same single room.

Personal experiences since last March have varied greatly, yet we have all been effected by the many ways our world has dramatically changed. When we needed it most, our shared humanity has emerged time and again through moments of joy, through compassion for one another and for many, through time immersed in the magic our local environment. As the Director of the Greenwich Audubon Center, I have witnessed examples of each many times –especially recently. With the prospect of another spring remaining at home, the Greenwich Audubon team thought hard about how our work could create the most lasting positive change and togetherness.

Nature marches on to the beat of the seasons and for us at Audubon, that beat is the sound of flapping wings migrating south every fall, and north again in the spring. Our programs reflect the connections to nature that each special moment of the year makes possible. Although we often focus on the birds you can see while walking our 15 miles of hiking trails across 6 sanctuaries in town, a world of bird activity can be created almost anywhere by simply offering birdseed through a variety of feeder set-ups. Welcoming birds to your backyard with us is the perfect way to connect with the season of love this February. Through Audubon programs, we can connect to each other to celebrate nearby nature and support wildlife all while supporting neighbors in need.

For the Love of Birds, in support of Neighbor to Neighbor, is a month-long celebration of backyard bird feeding and the special access to nature it brings. As we educate about how and why we create food-source hot-spots for our feathered friends, we also acknowledge the dire need for food many families in our area face as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Half of all revenue brought in through our For the Love of Birds programs and 10% of revenues from For the Love of Birds birdfeeder packages will be donated to Greenwich’s own Neighbor to Neighbor food bank.

With nothing more than a birdfeeder and a poster of Connecticut birds in winter, our toddler son and I spent countless hours last spring learning about nature from our backyard and from our back door. As he grew from shouting “Wookapoo” as Red Bellied Woodpeckers flew by in March to identifying Chickadees and Blue Jays just by the sound of their calls in May, the darkest days of lockdown were also among the most special for our learning together. Experiences in nature are proven to make you happier and live longer. What better way to celebrate the joy nature provides us than to provide for each other and the birds? All February long, and beyond, I encourage you to join the Greenwich Audubon Center as we celebrate For the Love of Birds to foster learning in nature while ensuring that our neighbors have what they need most when they need it the most.

Among the legacy non-profits in Greenwich, the Greenwich Audubon Center has met challenges of generations past and we are facing down the challenges of today with the same steadfast focus on making the world a better place for birds and people to share. Although our buildings remain closed until spring, the Center staff have been hard at work preparing for the spring migration, and the many visitors we will welcome as the weather turns warm again. New exhibits, trail features, partnerships and programs will renew how you experience Audubon. Until we open again, For the Love of Birds offers multiple ways to reconnect with nature. In addition to programs and backyard birdfeeding set-ups, we are booking private nature adventures for throughout the year guided by a training Audubon naturalist. This February, share your love with Greenwich Audubon and join For the Love of Birds in support of Neighbor to Neighbor.

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