Why Stories and Personal Experience Matter in the Birding Community

Did you know? I have a private online birding community! THE FLOCK

I recently did a short post on Threads asking for a few personal insights on what birds I would be seeing all over the place when I go visit Panama. I am planning to go in July and I love to hear people talk about their own experiences with birds they encountered.

Instead, I received some very blunt responses from a couple people about how I should get a guide book, or I can look at the most common species found by checking on eBird.

I was knee fucking deep cleaning my house, and I hate cleaning. I am one of these people that LOVES a clean tidy house, but my brain can never really focus on one task enough to stay focused to get a room clean. Half the time, I’m working on cleaning three rooms at a time, only to not finish the mother fucker. Then I get tired, turn on my “comfort” show and say I’ll do it tomorrow. Point is, I was already irritated. You see where I am going with this.

So as the responses are coming in, and they kept being the same shit, over and over. Go to eBird, get a guide book, look on the Internet, I said to myself; “do these people not understand getting great advice from someone that has had an experience in Panama is priceless.” Listening to someone tell a story about when they were there and what they saw, is fun. It’s more fun, than eBird, a guide book or merely Googling.

So, I made a reel just saying how important our stories are and how that is what I wanted to hear. I had one person message me with some awesome advice. They said; “Hey, the Grackles make a frickin aracari nosies. Do not be fooled. If Merlin (the bird ID app) picks up a super rare aracari it will be a Grackle.” THIS is what I was looking for. An experience. None of those apps or websites could tell me that. Nor, could they tell me about a bird you saw while you were eating at this amazing cafe and the smells and sights and noises you heard, that go along with telling someone a memorable moment you had.

Stories and birding are really a valuable tool when it comes to learning about birds. It helps people remember. It creates a feeling for the listener. It provides a timeless event-something you can recall and tell others about.

I have learned more from other peoples stories about birds than I have in guide books or apps. I love seeing and hearing the emotions of a person when they tell you about the rarity they just saw, and explain to you exactly where to find it. That is birding. Not the apps, not the guides. The people and their experiences.

I need to hire a house cleaner. Fuck this shit.