By Keri Stewart

While it can be fun to take a trip to the Finnish Laplands or even the Galapagos Islands, not everyone has the money or time for expensive travel. Luckily, affordable birdwatching is within reach. There are a lot of ways to explore new life list species in places closer than you’d think.

At the beginning of this past winter, my friend and I drove somewhere simple and free: the parking lot of Stern’s Seafood in Maine.

We saw a few ducks in the water and divers, but the most exciting part was the pigeons (at least fifty of them) that circled us as we exited the car. They flapped and flew until they landed right in front of our feet. Cooing and tilting their heads, all the pigeons followed us as we walked.

I had always admired pigeons, but I never took the time to observe them with admiration or proximity. But now, I found myself noting the differences between each pigeon in their colorings and the way each one walked. I watched them guzzle rocks and peck the salted-tar ground. I watched the pigeons just be pigeons, and then something in me clicked.

There was something beautiful about watching these underrated, though very common, birds exist. 

I couldn’t stop smiling at the birds as they followed us around the parking lot. Laughing with glee, I felt refreshed as I took the time to observe these birds. Grounded in the present moment, I realized that birdwatching can happen anywhere. There are no limits to where birdwatching can take place. It doesn’t have to be on a fancy beach or on a guided tour in some tourist location. 

Though Stern’s Seafood was shut down, its parking lot was free and open to birdwatching, and thus, the possibility of finding joy in everyday life, finding joy free and close to home.

How to birdwatch on a budget

While Stern’s Seafood’s parking lot may not be close to you, there are a handful of places you can go to birdwatch for free. Though some may require walking or a car, you do not necessarily need to take a boat trip or get on a plane to see something wonderful. And, you do not need the most expensive gear to see birds (not everyone can afford Nikon binoculars, an iPhone, or a Canon camera).

Below are lists of ideas for birdwatching on a budget, including good birding spots and tools that you can use to make your adventure happen:

Low-budget birding spots

• Your backyard
• Parking lots
• Down your street
• Public parks
• Local wildlife sanctuaries and/or nature trails
• Nearby Ebird hotspots
• Looking outside your window

Tools to find birds

• Your eyes and/or ears (listen for calls or movement, and follow the sound with your eyes)
• Your presence (gently making your presence known can cause birds to do the same)
• An outdoor location or a window seat
• Possibly a handful of birdseed to throw on the ground

Why is affordable birding important?

Though it may seem simple, affordable (and free) birdwatching, a.k.a. admiring your local surroundings, is often taken for granted. Not everyone takes the time to be present and appreciate nature. Those who do take the time find themselves experiencing positive results that improve their own well-being.

In The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life You Want, Sonja Lyubomirsky explores different happiness exercises to improve well-being. Thinking about birdwatching, I realize that many of these happiness exercises connect to affordable birding.

For instance, taking the time to go outside and watch your local birds can follow the act of gratitude that Lyubomirsky explores in chapter four. When I saw those parking lot pigeons, I felt thankful to be able to experience such an intimate moment with these birds. And thankfulness is important for well-being because “gratitude is an antidote to negative emotions.” It’s a way for us to help cope with life’s stressors.

Affordably birdwatching is, also, the act of savoring, which, as the book states, is “any thoughts or behaviors capable of ‘generating, intensifying, and prolonging enjoyment.’” With my own low-budget birding experience, I was able to take time away from the hassles of my daily life to really focus and hone in on those feelings of joy from birdwatching. I was able to find pleasure in the prolonged enjoyment of observing everyday pigeons.

Birdwatching on a budget is not just accessible but also impactful on the mind and body. It’s a way for you to connect to yourself and your environment.

Low-budget birdwatching, accessibility, and peace

When it came time to leave the pigeons, I felt a little sad.

Their pink little feet tapped as they followed my friend and me to my car. They sought attention, and probably food, as they followed. Even though other people were in the parking lot, I’d like to believe the pigeons trailed behind us specifically because they knew we were appreciating them, and this simple moment in life. I regard that day as one of my favorite birding experiences, partly from the number of pigeons seen and partly because of the joy I felt in that moment.

There is something so positively beautiful in low-budget birding, in admiring the simplicity of nature and your surroundings. Accessibility is peace.