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A group of people stand in a Saskatoon park, fingers pointing upward, eyes fixed intently on the sky.
Well… yeah, actually. It is.
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No planes. No Superman swooping in. Just a handful of locals proving that sometimes, the most exciting thing overhead really does have feathers.
Welcome to the wonderful world of birding.
Red-breasted nuthatches are known for moving headfirst down tree trunks, which makes them look upside down a lot of the time. (Arlin Schaffel/Submitted)
Every Tuesday morning until May 26, this scene unfolds at Ashworth Holmes Park, where local birding duo Ryan Bradshaw and RJ Dudrange lead a weekly walk through the Caswell Hill Community Association.
It’s simple, accessible and surprisingly entertaining.
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“Basically, we just walk around and look for birds,” Dudrange explained. “It’s something that’s easy, you know. It’s not strenuous. Sometimes we don’t make it too far beyond our starting point, because all the birds are just in that area.”
Ryan Bradshaw and RJ Dudrange have each been bird watching for about 30 years. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
“After a long winter, I think everyone’s really excited to see birds coming back,” Bradshaw said. “You really never know what you’re going to see when you go out.”
That unpredictability is part of the appeal. One minute you’re casually strolling, the next someone’s urgently pointing at a branch like they’ve just spotted a celebrity — because, in birding, they kind of have. (In this case, a pair of Cooper’s hawks.)
Female Coopers hawks are much larger than males — sometimes nearly twice the size. (Arlin Schaffel/Submitted)
But there’s more to it than just the thrill of the find.
“It kind of forces you to be in the moment that you’re in,” Bradshaw explained. “You’re constantly scanning and listening to what’s directly around you. It’s very much a self-care thing for me … when I go out birding, I’m guaranteed to feel better.”
Canada Geese take turns leading the V-formation, since flying at the front is the most tiring job. (Arlin Schaffel/Submitted)
Dudrange echoed that, framing birding as a break from the constant noise of daily life.
“It is easy to overlook or forget about nature in our lives as we rush from job to job to social media to cell phone, like 24 hours a day,” he reflected.
“It’s just good to get out and take a breath… and just be present in the moment and open your your senses to what’s around you. You never know what you’re going to find.”
And despite what you might think, you don’t need to be an expert to join in.
“People are like, ‘I don’t know anything about birds,’” Dudrange said.
“Most people know what a pigeon is, and a a crow, and all of a sudden they’ve listed 15 or 20 birds. So yeah, you know more than you think you do.”
American crows have been known to form long-term social bonds with people, both good and bad. These clever birds are infamous for holding a grudge. (Arlin Schaffel/Submitted)
The duo say there’s a surprising amount of wildlife you can spot over the course of a one-hour walk, even in the middle of Saskatoon.
“I don’t think people understand the abundance of life that we have around us,” Bradshaw said. “It’s very common for us to come to this park and see over 20 different species in one hour.”
Bradshaw said one of the perks of bird watching is the relative affordability of the hobby. Once you have a pair of binoculars, you’re ready to head out. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
Not bad for something that, from the outside, might just look like a group of people staring into trees.
For Bradshaw, who often birds solo, the group setting adds a whole new layer of fun to the hobby.
“People are so excited to be seeing things, and it helps me see common birds through their eyes, too. It’s exciting to be with someone who’s seeing something for the first time.”
The yellow-rumped warbler is nicknamed “butterbutt” for its bright yellow rump patch. (Arlin Schaffel/Submitted)
And, in a time when so many activities come with a hefty price tag, birding offers something refreshingly simple: it doesn’t have to cost much.
“It’s very affordable,” Bradshaw explained.
“Once you have a pair of binoculars, you don’t have any other costs attached to it. You can download the Merlin app. You can find resources online. As long as you got those binoculars, you’re doing pretty good.”
Dudrange diligently keeps track of his bird sightings in notebooks, later sharing them online on eBird. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
Beyond the weekly walks, Bradshaw and Dudrange also host a monthly event called Fabulous Feathers, a birding meetup for the queer community in Saskatoon and surrounding area. The location changes each month, but the goal stays the same: create a welcoming space to connect with nature, and with each other.
So next time you hear that familiar phrase — “It’s a bird!” — don’t dismiss it.
House sparrows are one of the most widespread birds on the planet, found on every continent except Antarctica. (Arlin Schaffel/Submitted)
It probably is.
And it might just be worth stopping to look.
On Tuesday mornings at Ashworth Holmes Park in Caswell Hill, Saskatoon birders gather for a weekly walk that turns this ordinary park into a place for discovery, community and a closer look at nature. (Brittany Caffet/650 CKOM)
