DC Bird Alliance

President’s Perch

Home

Lately, a recurring theme in my life has been home—going home, leaving home, finding home.

Of course, I can’t help but think about my beloved birds and the epic migrations some undertake to return to a place that feels like home, to create one, to rebuild one, and then—just like that—to leave it all over again. Some of us humans follow that same rhythm, too!

Isn’t it amazing that some of our feathered friends return to the very same nest year after year, raising their young after spending months and traveling thousands of miles away? Science calls it instinct—a fixed behavior—but I like to think of it as one of the many lessons birds and nature quietly offer us.

Find home wherever you are.

Here in DC, and everywhere, things are tough. Many are struggling. That’s why it feels more important than ever to find the places—whether physical or with people—where you are celebrated, nurtured, seen, heard, and yes, prepared to spread your wings and make it on your own. And maybe you return now and then.

As you discover the spaces that sustain you, I hope you also spend time in the healing power of nature. Soon here in the DMV, our fall migrants will be on the move—some arriving home for the season, others heading out. I invite you to join us for one of our many bird walks to witness the beauty of these journeys firsthand.

You never know … maybe you’ll discover that soothing walks with other bird lovers is a home you never knew you needed.

See you outside!

María-Elena