Subject: [Tweeters] Re: Why I bird
Date: May 21 07:52:16 2005
From: Mike Patterson - celata at pacifier.com


I suspect every birder has a book in them. It's not necessarily
a book anybody else would want to read, but there's a book in each
of us. I think it springs from the need to cement ourselves to
"the tribe" and explain ourselves to others.

I know I became a birder at 13 because I found common ground with
the nature geeks that I couldn't find with the other clicks in
school. Prior to that I was, as most kids are a generalist, equally
fascinated with tadpoles, rain beetles and Killdeer nests. I can
remember finding a road kill snipe on the side of the road while
going to school (I can still conjure the image) and thinking how
strange the bill was, But I also remember the swirl of lampreys at
the base of the weir we swam in with equal clarity.

I can't think of a single defining "bird moment", though
I've had millions over the space of 35 years, which was any more
exhilarating or pivotal than the one I had last week finding a
BROWN CREEPER nest.

I think we're all probably born naturalist. It just gets learned
out for many. I was just lucky. Good karma....

--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
celata at pacifier.com

Go, and sin no more (ethics in birding)
http://www.surfbirds.com/blogs/mbalame/archives/002555.html