How to be a bad birdwatcher by Simon Barnes
Look out of the window.
See a bird.
Enjoy it.
Congratulations. You are a bad birdwatcher.
With these simple sentences Simon Barnes opens the doors to the most engaging and pleasurable of all human activities. Bird watching. Every human is a birdwatcher. Rather a bad birdwatcher. Ever since as a two year old you chased pigeons in the park you have unknowingly taken another step further down the trail of human fascination with birds as stamped upon this earth by your long-forgotten ancestors.
Why do we watch birds? Birds are colourful, they fly, they sing and they are about hope – that thing with feathers. How can any mere mortal be immune to such tantalizing charms? Which more than adequately explains Simon Barnes joy at spotting a “shikara - a jet-propelled Asian hawk - when covering a cricket match in Bangalore.” Everyone seems to have at least one happy memory that is indelibly linked with birds. Though it may not be their RSPB moment, as yet.
To appreciate why birds are the most studied and documented of all living creatures, why hanging out peanuts for blue tits is an act of revolution, how there is “something childlike about the best of bird watching”, how bird places aren’t important because bird watching is a nice hobby, how magpies are just being magpies and succeed very well at being that and how observing England footballers compares with watching birds you just need to walk through Simon Barnes authoritative tome on How to be a bad bird watcher.
And if along the way you begin to appreciate where humans stand in the wider living world and join Mr Barnes to sing a paean to the greater glory of life just think to yourself what a wonderful world it would be.
(Afterthoughts on books: part 10)
10 comments:
I'm a bad bird watcher.
I always enjoy watching birds through the window.
Shame on me.
Don't worry he's celebrating bad bird watching...it's important.
Simon Barnes' is a truly great book! Hope everyone will become a bad birdwatcher someday!
PS. Really like your blog. Wonderful 'bad birdwatcher' pictures and sketches! Honest appreciation from a 'bad blogger'!
Simon Barnes' is a truly great book! Hope everyone will become a bad birdwatcher someday!
PS. Really like your blog. Wonderful 'bad birdwatcher' pictures and sketches! Honest appreciation from a 'bad blogger'!
Thank you Dawgmatix {:)} for your kind encouragement. Agree with you on Simon Barnes and "bad" birdwatching. If only people paid attention to the birds around them, just like they do to someone's hairstyle or shoes, we'd probably not be in such a messed up situation.
PS your blog is very good. I think you have one of the best jobs and not just in science :)
Thanks for your response!
Yes, as you very aptly put it, we seem to be (mis)directing our attention to people's appearances instead of things that matter.
Another minor thing- there seems to be a mix up with identity ;)
You mistook me for 'Dawgmatix', who is a good friend of mine. My humble attempt at blogging is
http://thewallcreeper.blogspot.com/ where I occasionally post excerpts from books I read.
However, not all your comments are misplaced, because I too happen to be an ecologist ;) . It surely is an exciting job, if you're willing to reliquish financial glory.
Oops my bad(now I am embarrassed :D)...not at my brightest on a Sunday morning. I guess I checked the blog you follow (and that is a good blog). Thanks for correcting it.
Your work is very interesting and important. As for 'financial glory' isn't that an oxymoron. Oh wait that's when you equate more money with happiness. Hope you enjoy what you do. All the best!
Only those with a limited world view believe money to be a surrogate for happiness. Unfortunately, most people subscribe to this view. And it's most irritating when they look down upon us, assuming that we're into this field because we failed to land plush 'mainstream' jobs!
Getting back to birds, perhaps you'd like to be a part of this interesting initiative http://migrantwatch.in/
Good luck with whatever you do... and good birdwatching!
Had read about migrant watch. Will surely try to connect with some of the members in my city. Thanks for sharing the link :)
For MigrantWatch you needn't worry about contacting members in your city. You can register directly and join. (For details, check out the 'How to participate' link on the website: http://migrantwatch.in/watch.php). In case you have any trouble I'll be happy to help out :)
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