National Bird Day…Inspiration for Quilters

Today is National Bird Day!
It’s a time to appreciate your birds (if you have birds for pets) and those in the out-of-doors.  Perhaps you’ll even get inspiration for your quilt and fabric art designs.  I haven’t done a great deal with birds in my quilting.  But at one stage in my life, I did oil and watercolor paintings of birds for clients.

Some activities involving birds are mentioned below.  You may want to involve your children in them, or use them as quilting inspiration.

• Do you have a bird feeder you keep well stocked in winter?
• Do you read and learn about birds?
• Can you recognize various bird songs when you hear them?  Some are very familiar while others are unusual.
• Do you draw and paint pictures of birds? Or incorporate them in your fabric art?
• Do you try to take photos of birds?
• What do you know about birds in other countries?

One year when my daughter was small (she’s grown now with children of her own), she asked for a bird feeder for a Christmas gift.  Both of her grandmothers gave her one.  So we put a feeder in the front yard and another in our back yard.  It was interesting to see that different birds seemed to come to each.

My mother always enjoyed birds and taught my brothers, sister and me much about them as we watched the various ones around our farm.  When my mother developed Alzheimer’s, she found great enjoyment watching the birds at the feeder on our deck.

Why don’t you start a list and see how many different birds you see this year…at home and wherever you might travel.  This also is a fun activity to do with your youngsters.

(Amazon image)