Birds: Flying over Politics

This is our first bird walk of the winter and spring that will highlight our winter residents and visitors. Today we will be exploring Easter Lake Park in Des Moines, Iowa.

Every birdwalk has a theme, and today's will be how watching birds can connect us to life, allowing us to see beyond the divisions of politics and difference.

A beautiful 165-acre lake is the centerpiece of this 468+ acre park in southeastern Des Moines. We will meet inside Easter Lake Park at the Easter Lake Garden parking area near the West Fore-bay Bridge. Use the entrance on Watrous (Evergreen Avenue).

During the walk we will have time for conversation, reflections, and quiet, as well as seeking to identify as many birds as possible. There will be plenty of opportunity to learn about birds, and practice the spiritual aspects of watching birds which is without a doubt a wonderful mindfulness practice.

We will do about a 1.5 mile walk, all of it on a paved trail. If you can't walk the whole distance, there are sitting areas where you can rest and rejoin us as we return to the parking area. If you'd like to participate but aren't sure about how you'd do, please contact me so we can make other arrangements. Please reserve here and check back in case of inclement weather. If you can't find us or get lost, you can contact LoraKim at: +19143259574.

This walk will be led by renown avian conservationist, Rev. Dr. LoraKim Joyner, who is a community minister at the First Unitarian Church of Des Moines (https://www.ucdsm.org/) and Codirector of One Earth Conservation ( https://www.oneearthconservation.org). Donations (suggestions of $5) are much appreciated to help cover costs of the Meetup Group. All donations will go towards bird conservation in the Americas. You can donate at the One Earth Conservation donation page: https://www.oneearthconservation.org/donate.

To attend, please make reservations here. Bring comfortable walking shoes, binoculars if you have them, and water and nourishment as needed. Do not attend if you are ill.

We hope you will come because watching birds can lead to greater human satisfaction, happiness, and health. By being aware of birds, we can also grow our ability to focus and to rest in the current moment, as well as grow our compassion and justice centered behaviors to help care for ourselves, others, and the planet. Birds, humans, and the earth are in trouble and with strong connections to the living community around us, we can save ourselves and all life.

Birding for Life walks aim to grow our ability to transform ourselves and our world by watching birds as an intentional mindfulness practice. This is enhanced by an emphasis on our relationships and connections to the humans who join us for the walk and the other species with whom we will interact.