Some of you may have noticed that in the last four years or so I’ve become very interested in birds. I do not have the sort of brain that lets me enjoy anything in a normal, measured way. When I develop a new interest, I go all in. So as not to swamp my regular followers with bird-related content I created a separate page called Jim of Bird as a safe conduit for this burgeoning obsession.
Despite that, birds are slowly becoming more of a fixture in my artwork and I thought it might be nice to explain why they bring me so much joy.
Here are four reasons to consider becoming a bird watcher…
Life becomes a safari
For most people the act of scrutinising their surroundings for signs of wildlife is a novelty reserved for game parks. For birders it is a way of life that can give a sense of purpose and wonder to even the most mundane of walks. It’s basically Pokémon GO but with way cuter monsters and no need for a phone. Each time you leave the house there’s a possibility you’ll see something that will put a smile on your face. It might just be a particularly close encounter with a Robin, or perhaps a Heron will fly over your head or maybe… just maybe you’ll see a bird you’ve never seen before.
A friendly Robin on the wyeford trail in Hay
It forces you to be present
Birding is a great activity for people who, like me, struggle to be present in the moment. It’s hard to worry about the future or ruminate on past mistakes when you’re trying to get your binoculars to focus on a Goldcrest. True, many hobbies allow this state of flow but few give you the wider sense of presence that birding does. Since birding I have become more aware of the changing seasons. I no longer look at my feet as I walk. My head is lifted and I notice every tree and every ornate gabled roof, occupied by birds or not. I am more in tune with the sounds around me and unfamiliar calls (just three years into bird watching these are now a rarity) make my ears prick up like those of a dog. Spring never felt more springy than when I first noticed the arrival of our resident House Martens.
I always feel calmer and happier after spending time with wild birds.
One of the Green Woodpeckers in Greenbank Cemetery, Bristol
It connects people
This may sound counterintuitive as many birders are introverts who prefer the company of birds than of humans. But a love of wildlife is something that crosses the political and social divide that seems to be growing ever wider.
My Dad and I are a case in point. We stand on opposite sides of the political spectrum and casual conversations can often devolve into heated arguments. One of the few things we agree on is that birds are amazing. Our WhatsApp history is predominantly photos and lists of birds we have spotted. Birds are the glue that hold our relationship together and I’m certain we’re not alone in that.
A waxwing at Rodborough Common near Gloucester
You end up in beautiful places
Back in my 20s, when I drank too much and took too many drugs, my Sunday mornings would usually involve fighting back nausea with the curtains drawn, waiting for the first takeaways to start taking orders while binge watching Peep Show for the 30th time.
One recent Sunday, by comparison, I found myself awake at 6am at RSPB Ham Wall near Glastonbury. I was there to see the starling murmurations that happen every dusk and dawn throughout the winter. I’d slept overnight in our van in the carpark of a nearby pub and got down to the water’s edge while it was still pitch dark to give myself the best chance of seeing half a million Starlings take to the skies.
Amid an alien soundscape of stirring coots and booming bitterns the sun slowly set the sky ablaze. The lake rose from the gloom revealing a waterbird’s paradise. Teals and Wigeons idled by swaying reeds, a pair of courting Crested Grebes raised their heads in unison and a young Mute Swan suddenly took off by running at speed across the mirror of the lake’s surface.
By then I had forgotten all about the Starlings when suddenly I heard the rush of a million wings cutting the air above my head. It sounded like the breath of God. The sky was filled with what can only be described as a swarm of birds. A minute later it was all over. They’d clearly decided to do their murmurations further east but it didn’t matter to me. I’d come for the starlings but ended up seeing so much more and that is the magic of birding.
RSPB Ham Wall January 2024