Bird Nerds & Blue Jays | 3.5 minute read

During the pandemic, while everyone seemed to be learning how to make sourdough, I took an interest in birds.

I was at a cottage on Baptiste Lake in the Hastings Highlands, 20 minutes outside of Bancroft, staring out the window at a busy community of birds flying in the bushes and trees.

Like most North Americans, I could easily identify the Cardinals and the Blue Jays (go Jays go!). They’re common even in the suburbs of Toronto. But everything else? Just “other birds” with different sizes, colours and behaviours. They had no name to me, not because they had no name, but because I didn’t know what it was.

That’s when I decided I wanted to identify the birds I was seeing. I developed a passion that would change my perspective.

I paid $39 for an online course. Now I have well over 100 bird species identified on my life list. I rarely go on a trip without my binoculars and brought them with me to Malta (where I am writing this post). The Mediterranean is a major migratory hotspot between Africa and Europe.

So, what does birding have to do with happiness?

1. It forces presence. Birding makes you pay attention. No need to worry about the birds that flew away, or the ones you hope to see, the only ones that matter are the ones that are right there, right now.

2. Names unlock wonder. When something is given a name, it is given an identity, and our understanding and appreciation grow. Now, while other people may see a small bird eating crumbs by a cafe, I see a House Sparrow collecting seeds to feed its young.

3. Birds are everywhere. From cities to conservation areas, you do not need any fancy equipment to play, just your eyes and ears. Birds are for everyone, everywhere.

Birding is basically an elaborate game of Where’s Waldo?. A game that once you start, you cannot stop. For me, it has provided me an opportunity to stop, slow down, and appreciate the beauty that the natural world has to offer us in a daily basis.

My perspective has changed. Now, those aren’t just “other birds”. They are finches, nuthatches, wrens, and so many more, and I am excited for my life list to continue to soar.

Pebble:

This is my favourite example of bird ID. To most people, if you saw a black and white bird with a bit of red on top pecking at a tree, you would think they are the same bird, but not me, and now not you either. We know the difference between a Downy Woodpecker and a Hairy Woodpecker, and our lives are better for it.

Challenge:

Next time you see a bird, try to describe it in detail. Is it smaller or bigger than a Robin? What colours do you see on its head, wings and underbelly? What environment is it in? Are you by a lake or in a backyard? What is it doing? Is it flying, swimming or on a tree?

Let the game begin.

editor’s note: Introductory birdwatching courses are available from platforms like Bird Academy (The Cornell Lab) or Birds Canada Learn. These courses are often self-paced, offer training in bird identification, behaviour, and field skills, and may include video lessons, text, quizzes, and certificates of completion to help beginners build confidence in birding.