My Birding Background

I come from a long line of birders.  My father always had a pair of binoculars around his neck whenever he had the opportunity to look at birds. I could always ask him the name of a bird I saw and he had a ready answer.

Dad, with ever-present binoculars, and Mom

Then, when my brother-in-law joined our family, we had two men with binoculars around their necks and two family members to answer my questions.

Dad, my brother-in-law and binocular-less me 

In the late l990s and early 2000s, I was a regular on the Sunday morning birdwalks at Descanso Gardens. We had our wonderful leaders, Karen and Nancy, who led these walks and, again, as in the situation with my Dad and brother-in-law, I'd say, "What bird is that?" and get a knowledgeable answer.  I was on a bird walk, after all, and they were there to tell me the answers.

In other words, it seemed that there was always someone who could tell me what bird I was looking at so I didn’t really have to apply myself and actually learn the names of the birds myself! Somehow it was always easier to let the experts give me an answer.

I did try, though.  I bought lots of books over the years and promptly put them on my bookshelf without truly studying them.  

My Bird Books and Journals

Now many years have passed.  People know I have had an long-standing interest in birding and, of course, will ask me, “What bird is that?”  Sadly, I cannot always answer them with certainty.  My dad, brother-in-law and the birding leaders aren’t around to ask.  Now is the time for me to finally learn the names of the birds I have long admired and enjoyed around my home for the past 30+ years!  Yes, this can happen! This will happen!