A Book to Change Your Life

/ Tracy Abell

My friend once teased that rather than a birder, I was a “ducker” because I was never quick enough to identify birds but could usually, eventually ID a waterfowl as it paddled about. I felt somewhat intimidated by people who knew grosbeaks from finches from sparrows from the multitude of other little brown jobs. No way was I cut out to be a birder.

But somehow in the past year or so I began watching the pigeons that flock near a neighborhood intersection, taking great joy in their synchronized flights and landings. They always made me smile as I sat at the red light. Then I started seeing crows in certain cottonwood trees as I drove Zebu to school each morning, and they made me smile. And then I started watching for birds everywhere I went because I realized birds made me feel good. Calmer and more centered. They give me hope.

Which is what How to Be a (Bad) Birdwatcher by Simon Barnes is all about. Basking in the wonder and delight of birds, and then easing into the understanding of identifying who and what you’re seeing. In the beginning, he warns, you’ll make mistakes. Embrace those errors.

From page 94: “You start by blundering about and making a good few blunders, too. Everybody does. My advice is to carry on blundering in a totally unembarrassed way. The more you look, the more blunders you will make, and the more blunders you make, the more you will see, and you find that slowly a pattern has been building up without you realizing it. This building up of patterns is one of the deeper joys: once you begin to understand the rhythm of birdwatching, you are beginning to understand the rhythm of birds themselves. Which is nothing less than the rhythm of life.”

I happened upon this book in the library and cannot recommend it enough. It’s funny and poignant and life-affirming. The travesty is that the book is out of print. Really, that makes my heart hurt. The good news, though, is there are used copies available. I can’t wait for mine to arrive so that I might read it again, marking the many passages that brought me joy.

Simon Barnes doesn’t go birdwatching. He is birdwatching. And so am I.

26 thoughts on “A Book to Change Your Life”

  2. Birdwatching, Giraffe Watching Etc.
    I can’t wait to pass this recommendation on to my husband. I’ve started to notice birds alot more lately as he’s gotten interested. We currently have a Mourning Dove nesting in a tree at the front of our condo complex and recently I’ve seen Cardinals and Cedar Waxwings too.
    I’m not sure if I mentioned this to you before but if you’re interested in animal sightings http://www.africam.com is an amazing site. So far I’ve seen impalas, giraffes, wild boar, buffalo, elephants, zebras and more. It’s quite amazing.

    Like

    • Re: Birdwatching, Giraffe Watching Etc.
      I thought of you when I was reading this because a while back you mentioned that you were starting to notice birds for the first time. And that’s how it all begins! Hope your husband likes this, too.
      I was talking to a mourning dove yesterday but she didn’t want to talk back. Zebu, though, wondered if it was the bird or me singing so maybe (possibly) I’m getting a bit closer to the real thing. Cardinals and waxwings are gorgeous.
      I was telling Zippy about your Africa cam but haven’t checked it out yet. Seems right up my alley. Thanks!

      Like

  3. Birdwatching, Giraffe Watching Etc.

    I can’t wait to pass this recommendation on to my husband. I’ve started to notice birds alot more lately as he’s gotten interested. We currently have a Mourning Dove nesting in a tree at the front of our condo complex and recently I’ve seen Cardinals and Cedar Waxwings too.

    I’m not sure if I mentioned this to you before but if you’re interested in animal sightings http://www.africam.com is an amazing site. So far I’ve seen impalas, giraffes, wild boar, buffalo, elephants, zebras and more. It’s quite amazing.

    Like

  4. Cool.
    I’m seeing birds I haven’t seen in years. A robin!!! 🙂 A blue jay, I think!!1 🙂
    And moths, um–I know they aren’t birds, but I haven’t seen moths for a few years and I thought it was cool.
    (Oh, I’m visiting the states.)

    Like

      • I’m in Provo for my daughter’s graduation from BYU. And sending my son off to serve his mission (in Colorado–the southern half.)
        I’ll attend the CLNE (!!!!) colloquy on my way home–in VT. We’ll be back, my whole family, in July. We are planning on coming to CO toward the end of July. 20th, 25th. sometime in that time frame….
        Look forward to meeting you.

        Like

  5. Cool.
    I’m seeing birds I haven’t seen in years. A robin!!! 🙂 A blue jay, I think!!1 🙂
    And moths, um–I know they aren’t birds, but I haven’t seen moths for a few years and I thought it was cool.

    (Oh, I’m visiting the states.)

    Like

  6. It’s been many MANY years since I was a birder, and even then I wasn’t very good. Raptors and waterfowl were fairly easy. But you just now took me back with LBJs! I used that term A LOT back in the day! 😉

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    • I just learned LBJs in this book and then the other day a friend and I were passing a bunch of brown birds (sparrows?) on the ground, and I mentioned them and she used the term. I feel as if I’ve just gained admittance to a really cool club!

      Like

  8. Re: Birdwatching, Giraffe Watching Etc.

    I thought of you when I was reading this because a while back you mentioned that you were starting to notice birds for the first time. And that’s how it all begins! Hope your husband likes this, too.

    I was talking to a mourning dove yesterday but she didn’t want to talk back. Zebu, though, wondered if it was the bird or me singing so maybe (possibly) I’m getting a bit closer to the real thing. Cardinals and waxwings are gorgeous.

    I was telling Zippy about your Africa cam but haven’t checked it out yet. Seems right up my alley. Thanks!

    Like

    • Another reader! YES! Please let me know what you think.
      Running/training going well. The race is four weeks from today. It’s a recovery week so less intense. I’m grateful for that.
      Been thinking of you and Coral…

      Like

  11. I’m in Provo for my daughter’s graduation from BYU. And sending my son off to serve his mission (in Colorado–the southern half.)

    I’ll attend the CLNE (!!!!) colloquy on my way home–in VT. We’ll be back, my whole family, in July. We are planning on coming to CO toward the end of July. 20th, 25th. sometime in that time frame….
    Look forward to meeting you.

    Like

  12. Another reader! YES! Please let me know what you think.

    Running/training going well. The race is four weeks from today. It’s a recovery week so less intense. I’m grateful for that.

    Been thinking of you and Coral…

    Like

  15. What a lovely post. I am not a bird watcher, but you’ve intrigued me. And I will look for this book.
    The quote can be applied to writing as well, don’t you think?
    Thanks for this!

    Like

    • The book is so wonderful, De. The author is British and he has a wry sense of humor but also such insights into the human condition via birds. And yes, the blundering applies to writing, too. Looking at it that way and knowing the mistakes I’ve made along the way, there’s definitely hope for my birdwatching skills. 🙂

      Like

  16. What a lovely post. I am not a bird watcher, but you’ve intrigued me. And I will look for this book.

    The quote can be applied to writing as well, don’t you think?

    Thanks for this!

    Like

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