Watching birds has been a lifelong fascination for me. As a child, I’d spend hours scouring the trees in our backyard using my grandfather’s old binoculars. 

I was lucky to grow up in Lincolnshire, Illinois, a heavily wooded area. I loved observing birds ranging from Red-headed Woodpeckers to Scarlet Tanagers. Soon I realized adding feeders to the yard could attract an even wider variety of species. Some of these visitors were yearround residents, while others were seasonal travelers passing through on their yearly migration. My yard was now filled with Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees, Whitebreasted Nuthatches, and many more. Even as a child I couldn’t believe they could survive our sometimes extreme weather. Birds visited the yard mid-summer when we’d hit 100ºF, and in the depths of winter when temps dropped well below zero. I felt it was my duty to help them in anyway I could. I really enjoyed it too!

 

Over the years, I learned new feeding techniques, and how to deter squirrels from taking over the feeders. I took this knowledge with me as I worked at various bird feeding stores in the northern suburbs. I quickly learned that many of my customers could benefit from a home visit. Once I saw their yard in person, I could tailor my services to meet their specific needs. I was able to determine the proper location for feeders – setting up safe spaces for the birds while offering the homeowner the best sightlines. This type of help became known as a birdscape, and I decided to officially become a Birdscaper!

 

I ventured out on my own in the spring of 2024, starting my own company, Birdscaping Services LLC. My work takes me all over the North Shore where I offer my clients a wide range of services. Some ask me to develop and install customized bird feeding plans which can include feeders, poles, houses and food. Others have me out to visit once or twice a week to assess and fill their bird feeders. Some folks will hire me to go birding with them, which is particularly helpful for whose who are new to the hobby and are determined to up their game.

 

I’ve learned so much about our local bird population over the years and love sharing my knowledge and passion about birds. Birds can be a lot of different things to different people—some enjoyed feeding them as a family hobby passed from one generation to the next, while others revel in their beauty and diversity. It can be therapeutic- bird watching has a calming effect on many of us. My job

as a birdscaper is to help my clients see the wonder that is right outside their door.

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