It’s a sunny summer day. Dr. Tarditi has been looking out his window staring at all of the different types of birds listening to the different bird calls, making him curious.
While forced to sit inside all day during the COVID-19 quarantine Dr. Matthew Tarditi an upper school History teacher at SCH, found a new passion in bird watching. Dr. Tarditi has “always been fascinated by nature and wildlife, in general, but even more civically birds and how they interact” he stated.
Dr. Tarditi began collecting data on the birds becoming interested in the many types of bird species there are. He described the process saying that he “started studying the different bird calls, recording them, and then documenting them.” He exclaimed how his new obsession “was like therapy” for him.
Dr. Tarditi expressed his desire to connect with nature. He stated, “I feel like a lot of our life is disconnected from the natural world, and just being out in nature and appreciating the richness and diversity of nature, especially wildlife, because of how interconnected we can be or if we can find that connection, it can be very powerful and special.”
This experience has created an entirely new lifestyle for Dr. T. Every morning he wakes up, makes his cup of coffee, and just sits outside listening to the sounds of nature. He is very grateful for these chances. “I have two kids who are very loud, I love them but they are always full of energy, so just to be able to step outside and just watch, hear, and learn about the birds’ personalities is special,” he said.
Dr. T has recently involved his children in his love of birds and nature by letting them help set up their at-home bird feeders. Dr. T. spends quality time with his children while caring for what he loves.
“It’s a fun thing for my four-year-old and me to fill the bird feeders and take care of our birdbath. It’s also taught me kind of patience with people who operate at a kind of different levels of skill and speed. Something that would take usually two minutes can take twenty.”
Dr. Tarditi has used his love of nature and birds to create different types of connections in his life. Lastly, Dr. T stated, “I don’t go on official bird excursions nor big groups bird watching, but I think I am just a casual bird appreciator.”
