I’ve never considered myself to be a birdwatcher. Birdwatchers, the weirdos out with binoculars and photography vests, some with $10,000 lenses, all furiously updating ebird trying to reach the prestigious Top eBirders chart, surely are a distinct group of people from individuals like myself. I take photographs of any kind of wildlife, I thought, I just happen to take more pictures of birds than other animals.
Yet, as I found myself lying in the dirt, newly upgraded Canon 300mm prime lens in hand, engaged in a conversation about whether I had seen anything besides Common Grackle and Northern Cardinals, a thought started creeping into my head, “What if I am a bird watcher?” No, that couldn’t possibly be‑‑‑ I photograph the birds, not watch them.
However, as I lay there in the dirt, I pondered my life decisions. I, too, use eBird. Check. AllAboutBirds.org always lingers in my top recent search history. Check. My favorite photograph I’ve taken is of a loon. Check. Sometimes I debate buying a photography vest for aesthetic reasons. Check mate.
“So what if I am a bird watcher?” I mean, they are the most colorful, ubiquitous creatures on earth. “I’ve just become a bird watcher out of convenience,” I assured myself. Having the background knowledge on the birds and their calls enables me to take better photos and learn more about my subject.
Surely, if there were a plethora of elephants when I started photography, then I’d be an elephant watcher. Birds were easy to find. Likewise birds have speed. They whiz from branch to branch, dive bomb fish in water, fly overhead and drop little bird bombs on unsuspecting humans and cars. Thus, I’ve grown into bird watching photography due to the challenge, I told myself.
Or maybe there’s nothing wrong with being a bird watcher. Sure there’s a certain stigma, a certain perceived weirdness that most bird watchers seem to wear with pride in the form of a vest, but there’s also a vast community of bird enthusiasts. Similarly, as evidenced by my conversation about grackle and cardinals, most bird watchers seem to be very friendly, excited to share their hobby with everyone they stumble upon. Perhaps, despite my skepticism, I can embrace bird watching and wildlife photography. Or perhaps, bird watching is still for oddballs concerned about their eBird rank.
As I sit here and debate this serious issue, I’ve missed at least fifteen chances of photographing two grackle fighting, didn’t notice a pair of cardinals flying past, and thought maybe I heard a wood duck around the corner but didn’t investigate. So much for bird watching.
