Spring is an exciting time for bird lovers everywhere. As the trees and flowers begin to bud, the migratory songbirds return in abundance, filling the landscape with their majestic beauty and melodious sounds.
At The Birches Assisted Living in Clarendon Hills, bird watching is an important source of enjoyment and entertainment for residents and associates. The Birches' bird feeder, located near the front entrance, draws a steady stream of bird enthusiasts who enjoy watching the birds come and go.
“The residents love to sit up front, inside and outside on the benches, and watch the birds eat and hang out near the feeder,” said The Birches’ Office Manager Cheri Gorgol.
Find out what's happening in Hinsdale-Clarendon Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Birches’ bird feeder is maintained mostly by receptionist Cheryl Vitellaro, an avid bird lover who fills the feeder when she arrives for her evening shift. Vitellaro says she has been a bird lover for many years and has a bird feeder at home as well as at work.
“I've always had bird feeders. There was one bird feeder in particular where other animals would come and eat the seeds and that was really interesting because it was right by my window. It’s always fun to watch nature,” said Vitellaro.
Find out what's happening in Hinsdale-Clarendon Hillswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The Birches also has a bird feeder located outside the lower level of the building, and Vitellaro has added a bird bath near this feeder. The Birches residents enjoy the feeder greatly, says Vitellaro, and always let her know when it needs to be filled.
“It’s so relaxing for the residents, and it just brings a lot of joy. They let me know when it’s almost empty, and I enjoy putting a little water bath downstairs when I feed the birds there. Eight of them or so will come and just flutter, and the residents love it,” said Vitellaro.
Additionally, The Birches has an indoor aviary and viewing area, where residents and associates can watch birds all year long. Currently, the aviary contains six different species of birds including shaft-tail finches, Gouldian finches, silverbills, green singing finches, zebra finches, and orange weavers.
Vitellaro’s favorite bird species are cardinals and egrets—and she was lucky enough to see an egret recently near her home. According to Vitellaro, the sighting is only further proof of the wonderful blessings you’ll receive if you take time to pause and watch the birds in nature.
“It’s really amazing what you’ll see. Out my front window there is a large pond and there’s an egret that comes and gets fish every once and awhile and that’s magnificent,” said Vitellaro.
To Vitellaro, the benefits of watching and feeding the birds are endless. She gets to witness the splendor of nature as well as the happiness bird watching brings to the residents of The Birches. She also gets to help the birds and other animals by providing them with a steady supply of food. All of these benefits make bird watching a very rewarding hobby for her.
“It’s just a really good comforting feeling for the residents to enjoy things like bird watching and of course I get immense joy out of that too,” said Vitellaro.
