The stakes are low but the reward is high when it comes to bird-watching.

Which makes it a perfect hobby. Sure, sometimes you’ll buy a really snazzy bird feeder and bags of mouthwatering bird food, get it all set up in your yard, and watch from your kitchen window as the squirrels congregate for a feast. Can a squirrel smirk, you’ll think? Because it sure looks that way.

But then a beautiful band of blue jays will show up and hop around looking for peanuts. A Northern flicker or a flash mob of bushtits will alight on your suet cake for awhile, or you’ll hear and then see a spotted towhee foraging through your dead leaves. And it makes it all worth it.

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Julie Frost, co-owner of Songbird Orchids, will host “Backyard Birding for Beginners” on Saturday at the shop near Old Colorado City. It’s $5, and reservations are required due to limited space.

“It’s a low-obstacle way to enjoy nature,” Frost said. “It’s a lot like gardening. You can do it in whatever capacity you’re able to. If it’s just putting a feeder on a deck railing or peanuts on an apartment deck, you can see what birds and squirrels come to the pile. You don’t have to go far to see it. But you also can take it as far as flying somewhere to see exotic birds.”

During the workshop, Frost will give an overview of the most common backyard birds in Colorado Springs, such as finches, chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers, and talk about what they like to eat, what kind of feeders are best, and where to place them so birds feel welcome. She’ll discuss bird baths and making water available, looking for signs of avian flu, and proper cleaning of feeders and bird baths.

After all that, the group will go for a short walk in the blocks around the shop and practice identifying birds.

“Even watching birds from the shop, I’ve learned a lot,” Frost said. “I had no idea birds ate snow if liquid water isn’t available.”

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So you’re intrigued by these tiny creatures we live alongside? First task: Set yourself up for success and get a simple feeder, not one with a lot of quirks that make it hard to open and fill. Get one that’s easy to use with good perches for the birds and figure out a good place to put it. Obviously, you want a spot where you can see the birds, but also a spot where the birds feel safe, probably near trees, where they can flee if a predator gets close, like a hawk.

Then buy good food, not stuff that’s been sitting on the shelf at a big box store for who knows how long. Frost recommends hitting up a local bird store for fresh seed. Ask staff for recommendations.

Now comes the brainy part — well, besides trying to outwit the squirrels: identifying the birds. Frost recommends field guides, such as “Birds of Colorado Field Guide,” by Stan Tekiela, and bird apps, like Merlin Bird ID. Aiken Audubon Society also is a good resource, with monthly education programs and bird walks.

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“I started joining the walks and learned so much from everyone else who had been identifying birds for much longer than me,” Frost said. “One of the hardest things for beginning birders is seeing them. I can hear but can’t see them. Where do I find them? The trick I use is looking for movement.”

You don’t need a lot of fancy equipment to enjoy the birds, though be forewarned — once you get hooked you might find yourself tempted by expensive binoculars, spotting scopes and thousand-dollar trips to the rainforests of Costa Rica to spot a scarlet macaw or toucan.

“It’s such an accessible hobby,” Frost said. “You can start it whenever you want at whatever stage of life you’re at and you can come back at whatever stage of life you’re in.”