So, why do you wish to observe birds? Or, if you’re already a casual watcher, what motivates you to go deeper? Perhaps it’s a muse—a guiding genius, a source of inspiration—compelled that’s you to participate in a genuinely enjoyable activity.
Many bird watchers have discovered not just inspiration, but also a newfound respect for all things natural—as well as a revitalised interest in the natural world’s sights, sounds, scents, and feel.
But let us return to birdwatching. Why do birds? Only from my experience can I say. Birds, I believe, exhibit qualities that appeal to an inner sensibility: beauty, freedom from earthly fetters, majesty in the case of the eagle, childlike gregariousness in the case of the chickadee, artistry in the case of all—each bird a unique assemblage of colours and brush strokes from the ultimate Artistic Palette.
However, there are other reasons to go birding. Maybe you’re an artist or a photographer. A wonderfully crafted image in your scope or binoculars—a bashful Purple Gallinule carefully moving over a lily pad as the morning light dances over the water—can surely inspire. Perhaps you appreciate the broad intellectual exploration of a new natural history field. You may also like the company of other birders, the caress of the elements, or the workout that comes with the sport. Whatever your motivations for a new or renewed interest in birding, you’ll find it a profoundly satisfying sport.
