February Is for the Birds Tips for watching, feeding, and counting birds, wherever you are During the past year, we were often told to listen to or follow the science. Well, I am happy to report that there is more and more scientific evidence to support the idea that everyone would be better off watching birds. You can watch them at a feeder while you are sitting on the couch, or you can go to a park to see them. Studies from England, Los Angeles, and Spain indicate that the closer you live to a park and the more contact you have with nature, the better your mood, psychological well-being, mental health, and cognitive functioning scores will be. In short, watching birds is good for you, and you don’t even need a note from the doctor to do it. For those interested in the mental health aspects of birding, the book “Bird Therapy” by Joe Harkness will be helpful.