2013 and beyond

It's pretty simple: the most birds seen or heard from one's yard during 2013 will be the "winner". Want in? O.k....then do it despite that.

2013 promises to be a lot less mean but still a carbon-free birding competition, even if slightly less exciting than a MEGA x EPIC hybrid.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Why we bird - poll results

The real reason we watch birds??

We crAzy

but the poll says differently:

Sociologist's suggest five reasons why birders are so driven by their 'passion'. Look inside your heart and choose which best explains your underlying motivation to “bird”?

I enjoy “sharing knowledge” with others – at my core I’m a teacher, teacher, teacher.

2 (16%)

Identifying birds is both “intellectual” and “challenging” - it tickles my brain.


3 (25%)

It satisfies my need for “systemizing” the planet– Oh See Dee, I loooove keeping records.

2 (16%)

I hate to admit it but I like “gaining status”– Whoa nice find, now kiss the ring.


1 (8%)


“Male hunting instinct” – Me like pretty bird….need me say more?

4 (33%)

5 comments:

  1. damn, I was so out of my head after that Tropical Kingbird, I didn't even realize that Kaplan was taking pictures of me!
    .....or that I had shaved recently......

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  2. well it was hard to choose why I bird- but I few do stand out over the others. I do love a good challenge, and working through tough bird ID is always a blast (until you become burnt-out on gulls- used to love'em, now they bore me to tears.....).

    And also, I thought really hard about the teaching aspect- I find sharing knowledge and helping people connect with such a vibrant and visceral slice of the natural world to be very rewarding.

    But in the end, I think about my most favorite birding experiences: surrounded by neotrops of ever flavor, color all singing away on a foggy May morning, creeping down some tangled canyon only to lay eyes upon a trogon, scoping a melting spring marsh just full of ducks dressed in their finery, or just in the middle of f-ing nowhere when a gorgeous male Mountain Bluebird tee's up on the sage in front of me...... well, I guess thats why I bird.

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  3. RAZL, looking at your banner pic I was wondering if this is your brother??

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  4. Nice, sounds like Haas might be your brother....I'll swab him next time I see him....

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  5. I had a hard time with this quiz. I bird for every reason on there except the records keeping thing. I mean, I keep records, but its only as a tool and only because I feel I should. But I'm also a lover of the beauty of nature, the sheer amazement factor. I guess thats related to the "tickles my brain" thing, but its different. I know, its not very scientific of systematic of me to cry when I see an Ivory Gull, or laugh when i watch sandpipers, but its a real reason that I go birding. It rules.

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