Meet May's Member of the Month - Jenna!

When it comes to birds, 11 year-old Jenna certainly knows her stuff. She’s been interested in birds for the past four years and has been a member of Jr. Audubon for just as long. She initially joined the club with a desire to “learn more about nature and see really cool birds,” and has since increased her enthusiasm for both. Not only that, but Jenna is also fast emerging as one of our youth leaders in the club. She’s always willing to share her knowledge with younger members and asks thoughtful and well-crafted questions to presenters during programs.

One thing that fascinates Jenna about birds is their stunning and varied plumage. The birds that she often finds the most interesting are “the ones that have pretty patterns of feathers, and the ones that have brightly colored patterns and feathers.” For those reasons, a few of her favorite birds are the Blackburnian Warbler, Bald Eagle, Mute Swan, Wood Duck and Stellar’s Jay. Her cat, Tigger, loves the Eastern and Western Meadowlark for their rich, melodic songs when Jenna plays them on her smart phone through the Audubon app. This app, she says, is extremely helpful when memorizing bird calls and she recommends it to anyone looking to either sharpen their skills or learn more about bird calls and songs for the first time. She also recommends that new bird watchers purchase a pair of binoculars to help with seeing birds that are off in the distance, as well as purchase a bird book published by prestigious birders such as Donald and Lilian Stokes. All great recommendations, to be sure!

When asked about where she thinks her love of birds might take her in the future, Jenna’s not quite sure yet. In her mind’s eye, she sometimes pictures herself as a “little old lady sitting in a rocking chair on the porch, watching the little birds and butterflies flitting around a garden; happy and content.” While that image is a bit comical coming from an 11 year-old, there is a distinct peacefulness that image evokes as well as a lifelong commitment to furthering the health of living creatures on earth.

Finally, which bird would Jenna be if she could be magically transformed into one? She would elect to be either a Ruby-Throated Hummingbird or a falcon. A hummingbird, she said, because she would “get an idea of how the hummingbird sees the world,” and a falcon for the super sharp vision; vision that would be a “bajillion” times sharper that what we humans possess. That’s pretty sharp! That’s very insightful, too, to want to experience something through someone else’s shoes.

Hopefully by now you've gotten an idea of how awesome Jenna is. We’re so glad that she’s a member of Jr. Audubon and hope that she continues to be for many more years to come! 

What a great day for birding! Jenna at Ironwood Golf Course