Lecture: How Birding Makes Us Better People by Dr. Julia Zarankin

The practice of birding isn't just about seeing as many birds as possible. In fact, birding has a great deal to teach us about how to live a good life and how to be a better human being. Not only does birding help us feel more present, but it also encourages us to see the world with more nuance, wonder and empathy. The lecture is 1 hour in length, with questions at the end. Location: Fireside Lounge, Markham Village Library Julia Zarankin is a Toronto-based award-winning writer, birder and Canadian Ambassador for ZEISS Sports Optics. Her memoir, Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder, is a Canadian bestseller and her writing has been featured in Audubon, Sierra, Birding Magazine, Canadian Geographic, Chatelaine, The Walrus, and The Globe and Mail. When not hanging out with a spotting scope at sewage lagoons in hopes of getting a better handle on shorebirds, Julia lectures to lifelong learners in and around Toronto about Russian and European avant-garde art, literature and dance.