The Joy of Birds
Reflections on the Beauty and Wonder of Birdlife in Northern Arizona
Life in Flagstaff has a soundtrack and often it is a birdsong. Whether it is the chatter of jays in the ponderosa pines or the flute-like notes of a warbler near a mountain spring, birds bring our northern Arizona landscapes to life. Just the other day, a neighbor excitedly told me he had already identified 71 species this year. And that is just within our Walnut Canyon Lake neighborhood. That is not a quiet backyard. That’s a front-row seat to one of nature’s greatest live performances.
Out on the trail, bird sightings can feel like little moments of magic. A friend hiking at nearby Griffiths Spring was delighted to follow Yellow-Rumped Warblers flitting from branch to branch like restless flashes. At Walnut Canyon Lake, I watched a Brewer’s Blackbird making repeated flights; back and forth, back and forth; tirelessly feeding its young. And on Campbell Mesa, a Western Tanager graced me with a brief but spectacular visit, frolicking among the trees in a brilliant flash of yellow and red.
But it was a copper-colored visitor that truly took my breath away; a White-Faced Ibis, standing tall and graceful at the edge of Walnut Canyon Lake. Not a typical Flagstaff resident, this striking migratory bird with its long legs, curving bill, and shimmering plumage, let me inch closer for photos before vanishing days later, never to be seen again. I like to think it was just pausing for a rest on its long journey north. I was lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
Where the Wild Birds Are
Flagstaff is a haven for wildlife watchers. With the town’s 3,000 acres of open space and surrounded by the vast 1.8 million-acre Coconino National Forest, there are boundless opportunities to spot birds and other wildlife. The forest’s astonishing diversity, desert scrub to alpine peaks, makes it home to more than 300 species of birds. And that is not counting the nearby national monuments and parks that are also teeming with wildlife. No wonder birds keep popping up in our conversations. They are part of the fabric of life in Northern Arizona.
I would not call myself a “serious birder.” I don’t keep a life list, and I probably could not identify a bird just by its call. But I do love spending hours watching them, learning about their habits, and photographing them when I get the chance. Each new bird that I photograph sparks a bit of research, and those little discoveries; where they come from, what they eat, why they behave the way they do, becomes my own kind of life list.
Windows Into the Wild
Even in an urban setting, birds connect us to the wild world. Through our windows, we catch glimpses of them hopping along branches, building nests, or teaching their young to fly. They make the ordinary feel extraordinary.
And when we step outside into forests, meadows, wetlands, and wildlands, we’re met with an even greater pageant. Each bird species has its own story. Some are lifelong locals, others are just passing through. Some nibble seeds and berries, others dive for fish or scavenge for scraps. Their beaks; curved, hooked, spoon or chisel-shaped, tells you exactly how they make their living. Every bird is a finely tuned adaptation, a survivor in a world of change.
They also do something most of us only dream about: they fly. While we remain earthbound, tethered to gravity, birds rise and roam, guided by instincts that science still cannot fully explain. It is humbling and inspiring.
Feathered Joy
For me, birds are a constant source of wonder. Their songs fill the air like nature’s own symphony. Their colors dazzle against blue skies and green forests. Their behaviors, whether comical or majestic, offer endless fascination. And if I am lucky, I capture a moment in a photograph that brings all that beauty home.
In a world that can often feel rushed and noisy, birds remind us to pause. To look up. To listen. And to find joy in the simple presence of something wild and free.
See more of Jeff’s bird photography at the Birds Gallery.
Jeff Goulden is a nature, landscape, wildlife photographer and writer based in Flagstaff, Arizona. His work has appeared in Audubon, National Geographic, Nature Conservancy, Wilderness Society and other publications.
See more of Jeff's photography at www.JeffGouldenPhotography.com. Downloads are available at Getty Images. Selected fine art prints and other unique photo products are available at Fine Art America.