Imagine yourself walking through Cappie’s trails, or sitting on the beach at Fort Flagler. What do you see? The forest floor, the gnarls of roots, the treetop canopy, Admiralty Inlet, the sand, the rocks and the waves lapping the shore. What do you hear? The wind in the trees, the waves lapping on the shore and maybe the chirping of the Hutton’s Vireo or the squawk of the common Glaucous-winged Gull. If this sounds like a fun afternoon to you, maybe you should take up birding as a leisure activity this winter. Birding, or bird watching, is the activity of observing and identifying different types of birds in their wild habitat. Birding is easily accessible on the Olympic Peninsula, and, if you don’t mind a little rain or snow (most of us don’t), it can be done year-round. Some of the benefits are that it doesn’t require planning and the barriers to entry are very low. You don’t need any equipment to be outside and observe and try to identify birds. Maybe a bird guide or a pair of binoculars would help, but they aren’t a requirement. Another advantage is that anyone of any age can participate. Going on a nature walk is a great way to tire out a toddler and it can also be a good opportunity to practice mindfulness and being quiet to listen. The Admiralty Audubon Society is the local chapter of a national organization dedicated to protecting bird species since 1901. The local chapter was started in 1977 and was instrumental in naming Protection Island a National Wildlife Refuge. Admiralty Audubon is a great way to get connected to other locals interested in birds. The group holds nature and birding walks each month as well as educational workshops and events. In December Admiralty Audubon will be participating as it does every year in the annual national Christmas Bird Count which is the longest running biological census in the world.