Have a birdie ‘life list’? Return to Nature offers supplies, gifts and expertise

A passion for birds and the outdoors, along with a desire for better work-life balance, led Drew and Megan Diekmann to open Return to Nature, a Lee’s Summit store focused on backyard birding.

Drew Diekmann, a Lee’s Summit native, became interested in bird watching as a child, while Megan’s interest in the hobby developed later.

“My grandpa always fed goldfinches, which was my spark bird — the first bird that got me interested in bird watching,” he said. “Megan and I started feeding the birds when we moved into our first home, and our interest in backyard birds grew year after year.”

Drew also began photographing and drawing the winged visitors to their yard. With the opening of Return to Nature in 2022, the Diekmanns were able to do something they both loved while sharing their favorite hobby with others.

“Lee’s Summit has never had a birding store and is such a great place for birding, with parks, lakes and other places to observe birds — not just your yard,” Diekmann said. “We love nothing more than ‘chatting birds’ with our customers and are very passionate about what we sell.”

Since the 2020 pandemic, the popularity of bird watching has increased substantially, Diekmann said, especially with those working from home.

“It also has become increasingly popular amongst the younger generations,” he added. “A common misconception is that this is an older person’s hobby. However, that’s no longer the case. We love to hear about couples that are into birding together and also parents that are getting their kids into the hobby at a young age.”

Return to Nature draws many of its customers from Lee’s Summit and the metropolitan area, although others drive from as far as Warrensburg to visit the store.

“We have a very loyal following at both our store and on our social media pages,” Diekmann said, adding that business owners share photos of their backyard bird visitors online. “One of our favorite things is getting new folks into the hobby and hearing feedback of what they are seeing or hearing in their backyard. It’s fun to share in the excitement of learning something new and enjoying the beauty it brings to your backyard.”

Having both owners work at the store throughout the week is another advantage for customers.

“You will always get help from one or both of us, every time you come to our store,” Diekmann said. “We feel very blessed to hear from customers almost weekly who say that ‘we’re so glad you’re here’ or ‘I’m so glad we found you.’ We still have new customers every single day that discover us or hear about us from word of mouth.”

Bird-related products available at Return to Nature include species-specific feeders, food, watering options, bird houses, bird-themed gifts and decorations, binoculars, spotting scopes and books. In addition, the store stocks outdoor furniture, firepits and additional gifts such as puzzles, candles and outdoor decor.

Despite being immersed in birding five days each week at their store, Drew and Megan still make time for bird watching away from work.

“In our spare time, we love observing birds from inside as well as taking in the sights and sounds from our back deck or patio,” he said.

Return to Nature is open Tuesdays through Saturdays near the intersection of Douglas and Sycamore streets.