Longtime readers have watched my gradual transition from bird skeptic to avowed birder. Today’s column (gift link) tells you how you can follow this path, if you are ready.
This year’s Audubon Christmas Bird Count was the first where I felt useful in identifying the birds we saw. Now, it was 25 below zero and there weren’t as many birds as usual, but still. It was a turning point.
There is really no barrier to gaining this knowledge, or most knowledge, if you remain curious. We might not be able to reverse physical aging, but learning new things is a great way to stay mentally young.
Read “It’s Christmastime, which means it’s time to count birds” in the Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025 edition of the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Aaron J. Brown is a columnist and member of the editorial board for the Minnesota Star Tribune. His new book about Hibbing Mayor Victor Power and his momentous fight against the world’s largest corporation will be out soon.
