When people ask me why I like birds I used to be at a loss. Not of what to say, but where to start. And when I understood that, I had a revelation. Now the first thing I highlight about why I watch, observe, list, experience, and try to "grok" birds is that there are so many ways to experience them, and no two experiences are alike.That's a rich topic, and more than I want to get into here. What I want to do is announce the new I and the Bird is available at Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted). Grrlscientist has grouped the contributed essays into various headings, from "Ornithology" to "Bird Watching Trip Reports" with a few stops along the spectrum, you can witness first hand how various bird aficionados are affected by birds.
And, if that alone doesn't get you to check out her presentation, there's a quiz . . . with prizes! Enjoy, and good luck.
2 comments:
grok?
Yes, grok! I haven't thought about that word in years, but it seemed to fit while writing this post.
In a pirated nutshell from the wikipedia account, to grok is "to share the same reality or line of thinking with another physical or conceptual entity."
I think that's the experience many birders try to achieve while birding. Wouldn't it have been nice to say, "Man, I not only ticked that Ross's Gull, I really grokked it." Or maybe I'm totally flaking out here.
-Mike
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