COLUMBUS, Ohio — At Blendon Woods Metro Park, the nature center is budding with wildlife.
What You Need To Know
- Birdwatchers, like Alex Eberts, consider metro parks a good place to watch birds
- He said it’s important to be respectful of a bird’s space
- He also said it takes work to get a good photo
Like many nature and visitor centers within the Columbus and Franklin County Metro Park system, bird feeders are located just outside of the building. They attract birds of a wide variety.
Blendon Woods is one of Alex Eberts’ favorite spots to watch birds. He always brings his camera, eager to catch the perfect shot.
Eberts explained it’s important to be respectful of a bird’s space.
“If it reacts to you, then you know you’re too close,” he said.
He loves all birds but his favorite is the purple martin.
“I’d say second favorite would be pileated woodpecker.” Eberts said. “That was kind of like my ‘spark bird,’ kind of like what got me interested in birds when I was a little kid.”
He said it takes work to get a good photo.
“To get a good picture, you kind of have to be more aware of the bird’s actions and their habits so you can anticipate where they’re going to go, so I think it makes you pay attention more to the finer aspects,” said Eberts.
Eberts has been bird watching for as long as he can remember. He even has a Zoology degree from Ohio State University, but feels there’s always more to do.
“There’s always something that I feel like I’m learning,” he said. “There’s always something new to learn.”
