Helen Lohman was the last owner who used it as a summer cottage. When she would return each summer her cottage was covered in Spiderweeds which is how they came up with the name. She donated the land including the building to the town in the late 60's.
Just to give a brief summary, they talk about how being out in nature observing birds is good for you mentally, physically, and spiritually. Slow birding, mindfulness/hyperawareness, and observing everything in detail can greatly enhance your experience. These are things I've done on my own but it was interesting to know that there are other birders out there that take this approach to birding.
There is a book available that covers these topics in more detail titled: "Ornitherapy For Your Mind, Body, and Soul".
Too often, I fall into the habit of the search, identify and move on birding routine. I found the book to be a helpful reminder to take the slow approach to birding while observing birds and my surrounding in more detail.
After listening to the podcast I was inspired to pull up a chair and sit quietly at the edge of my favorite local bog. After waiting patiently, a male and female Wood Duck swam over from the opposite side until they were within 20 feet of me. Wood Ducks spook easily so I was pleased that they stayed and visited for a while.
As I was sitting quietly I had a thought. Suppose we all lived within 4 walls that were all just plain white with no other objects around us. How valuable would access to a natural outdoor scenic place be worth? Maybe more than gold or any material item we might purchase for ourselves! Luckily for us, we do have access to places like this, and in most cases it doesn't cost us a thing! 
Every time you view birds it can be worth giving them a second look from a different angle. Lighting, the position of the birds, and the angle that view them from can show you something that you did not see the first time.
Spring is only a week away! I am sure looking forward to some warmer weather!
On this particular day, I had both problems. It was too windy and I only had an hour to spare. I decided to go to a nearby ravine trail that follows a small trickle of a stream. This turned out to be the right move because the high tree-lined banks on both sides of the trail offered good protection from the wind making things much more comfortable. The trail is only probably only about 150 yards long, so an hour was plenty of time to cover the entire trail.
I moved as slowly as possible so I could pick out birds that I might normally miss. I felt like a kid trying to dig coins from under the couch cushions. At first, you only see a few but if you dig deep enough you might end up with $3.00 worth of change! So I only saw a few birds at first, but by the time I had finished my list grew to 14. Not bad for a small wooded area in the middle of winter!
There was nice acoustics with the sound of the trickling stream, and time just seemed to slow down. I had a nice look at this White-throated Sparrow but I was hoping to find that one special bird. Nothing rare, just that little prize like you find in the bottom of a box of Cracker Jacks. I finally did find my prize bird. It was a little Winter Wren sneaking around underneath the stream bank. My first of the year. Sometimes the best birding experiences are the most simple ones.
