Birds

Several months ago, a good friend of mine, who knows I’m into birdwatching, suggested I watch a YouTube documentary called LISTERS: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching. Little did I know at the time that it would consume much of my free time and prevent me from blogging with my usual cadence! I’ll say it right away: the documentary is one of the best I’ve seen. I was blown away by the storytelling, the camera work, the silly jokes and the overall quality of the movie that two guys from St. Louis were able to put together. And once they were done, they just posted it on YouTube. No fanfare, no proper distribution, no deals. In fact, I was so smitten by how good it was that I decided I needed to watch it with someone special in my life. ...

A few days ago, I opened the window and heard a familiar sound I have not heard in a while: it was a fieldfare’s call, probably one of the first who migrated back to my town this year. And just today, I saw my first chaffinch of the year perched on top of a branch. These birds are very common where I live, so this is not too surprising, but what struck me is how much I have grown in terms of knowledge of their calls, appearance and behaviour. A few years ago, I wouldn’t have been able to name a single bird by call or name too many of them by looking at them. If you’re curious how I got here or want to build some knowledge and appreciation of birds, read on. ...