I've lost my touch (1 Viewer)

[birdz6]

I have always had a recurring problem that has to do with wanting to see a new bird(s) every time I go out, and I develop expectations for my outings, and when those expectations are crushed, I get mad. I am looking for a solution(s) to that but, more recently, I've had the feeling that I'm a fail at birding and I have wished that I could get something out of the hobby and the joys and pitfalls that is has. I am beginning to convince myself that I can't gain any more bird knowledge. Part of the reason I am starting to believe that is because I have sort of forgotten how to gain knowledge of North American avifauna. If you have any solution(s) that you think might be helpful, then please reply to this post or e-mail me at walketyl000'at'students.garlandisd.net Thank you so much for your time and effort!

 

[Ratal]

First question I have to ask - Are your expectations based on reality or wishful thinking? In other words, do you plan your route, habitat and such to reflect the specie list you want to connect with?

Key to hunting a target is a good planning and preperation stage.

My second point will be enjoyment. I really don't get a vibe that you just enjoy the world as a whole, i get the feeling that you see it more of an obstacle that prevents your desires from becoming fufilled than an object of beauty in its own right. Honestly in my opinion you need to relax, take the rough with the smooth and just enjoy being immersed in nature. Let go of the anger . . . Just plan and prepare and accept What will be will be.

 

[Tarsiger]

If there was a book called 'Zen and the Art of Birdwatching' I'd suggest you read it

 

[David FG]

You say:

'I am beginning to convince myself that I can't gain any more bird knowledge.'

I didn't know that there was anyone, anywhere, who could claim they can't gain any more knowledge (about birding or anything else, come to that). If you are really claiming that you can't learn any more I am not sure whether to feel happy or sorry for you. Sorry, I think.

 

[njlarsen]

birdz6, welcome to birdforum!

I am not sure if you are winding us up, but here are some thoughts. 1) There can be a lot of enjoyment in seeing interesting behavior of birds. Therefore, ticking boxes next to bird names is not the only thing that birding holds. To develop in that direction, read some different bird books.

2) Travel to a different avifauna. Going to another part of north America is not enough, go somewhere where most of the birds are new to you, and possibly even belong to families you have not seen before. When doing that, try to take in the whole gamut: learn the voices, and notice some behavior of some interesting birds, in addition to just learning what the field guide will tell you. I think that might kindle some interests that you did not know you had in you.

3) if you live in a given area with migration going on, try to develop your enjoyment of those movements. What is the earliest time for this bird, can I see one one day earlier? etc.

Niels

 

[iraqbabbler]

wanting to see a new bird(s) every time I go out

Even if that was (theoretically) possible, then it would mean that you would see any bird species ONLY once ... Can you imagine how sad that would be :eek!:

I am beginning to convince myself that I can't gain any more bird knowledge

That's an incredible claim to make and I somehow doubt it. There is ALWAYS something new to learn (Identification, behaviour, conservation status, distribution .. the list goes on and on); and of course it's not just about learning. It's about enjoying too o

So if as njlarsen says this isn't a wind up, then why not post more on the various subforums here to resuscitate your interest in birding ?

 

[Andy1979]

Presumably you have seen every species which occurs in the US? If not, go to where there are species you haven't seen yet, or start twitching rare birds.

Also, have you heard the phrase 'life long learning'?

Andy M.

 

[chris butterworth]

1. I have always had a recurring problem that has to do with wanting to see a new bird(s) every time I go out, and I develop expectations for my outings, and when those expectations are crushed, I get mad.

2. I am looking for a solution(s) to that but, more recently, I've had the feeling that I'm a fail at birding and I have wished that I could get something out of the hobby and the joys and pitfalls that is has.

3. I am beginning to convince myself that I can't gain any more bird knowledge. Part of the reason I am starting to believe that is because I have sort of forgotten how to gain knowledge of North American avifauna.

4. Thank you so much for your time and effort!

1. We would all like to see new species each time we go out but, unless you are in a completely new part of the world, with a completely new avifauna, it can't be done. I'm sorry but looking at the varied habitats around the Dallas / Fort Worth area, and migration routes, I can't believe you have mastered the various species / plumages of all the shorebirds, birds of prey, Hummingbirds, Empids or Warblers that occur there.

2. Perhaps it's because you see birding as a 'win or fail' hobby. Nothing could be further from the truth. One of the great sayings in birding is "You should have been here 5 minutes ago / yesterday", meaning you've just missed your target bird. When you are dealing with the natural world things don't turn up to your schedule, birds move on, they fly behind you when you're not looking, they skulk deep in undergrowth and appear on private land just far enough away so that your optics just show you an unidentifiable 'birdy' shape.

3. After 54 years of birding I'm still learning about the birds in the UK, never mind the rest of the world. I've been to Nth. America countless times and yet a fortnight in AZ this year allowed me to add 42 species to my NA, and life lists. 42 new and exciting birds, but I derived just as much satisfaction from seeing species I'd seen before ( in quite a few cases earlier this year in Vancouver ).

4. I don't mean this in any way but as a constructive comment but you thank us for the time and effort we've put into our replies but they are the two things that appear to be lacking in your approach to birding.

 

[Andy Hurley]

I have always had a recurring problem that has to do with wanting to see a new bird(s) every time I go out, and I develop expectations for my outings, and when those expectations are crushed, I get mad. I am looking for a solution(s) to that but, more recently, I've had the feeling that I'm a fail at birding and I have wished that I could get something out of the hobby and the joys and pitfalls that is has. I am beginning to convince myself that I can't gain any more bird knowledge. Part of the reason I am starting to believe that is because I have sort of forgotten how to gain knowledge of North American avifauna. If you have any solution(s) that you think might be helpful, then please reply to this post or e-mail me at walketyl000'at[B]'students[/B].garlandisd.net Thank you so much for your time and effort!

Just wandering if you are a psych student trying to get a reaction.

 

[Johann Sebastian Bach]

I take it that you're a student (your email address implies that).

I guess the UK and US educational systems are pretty similar, with massive pressure on students not to fail. The pressure can get so great that passing or failing becomes a mantra and takes over everything you do. You talk about failing at birding. I think most people on here will tell you it's impossible to fail at a hobby where you can gain so much pleasure, so much personal satisfaction and so much to feed the soul.

Do you have a favorite bird in terms of color; or a favorite in terms of song; or a favorite type of bird behavior?
It might not work for you, but I use my favorites to get rid of stress from my life. The colors of a robin (yours or ours); the song of a thrush; the stoop of a hawk. Each one shouts WOW for me and frees me a bit more from pressure.

I'm a fairly crap birder - I'll never be as knowledgable as some of the people on here. But I think I enjoy birds as much as anyone. I always try to learn more but I don't beat myself up if I forget.

I hope you can get through this because birding can enriched your life. But don't work at it - just enjoy it!

Good luck,

Peter

 

[chris butterworth]

Just wandering if you are a psych student trying to get a reaction.

Noooooooooooool! It couldn't be ............... Morninglite?

 

[string boozel]

You cannot fail at birding, it's a hobby to be enjoyed at whatever level you want to take it to. If adding new birds to a list is your goal then just keep creating new lists, whether it's day, month, site or year - it does not matter as long as you enjoy it.

I've missed a lot of species ( I weep when I see pictures of Great Spotted Cuckoo ) but it only enhances my joy when or if I finally see them.

I don't think anyone could really claim to know everything there is to know about birding, I'm constantly learning new stuff but that may say more about me than anything else.

I hope that you get your birding mojo back and can enjoy future days out.

James

 

[carjug]

Start your poop list. How many birds have you seen take a big DUMP? If you ever see a heron let loose, you won't forget it. The joy of birding lies in the unexpected stuff of nature; scratching an ear, eating a bug, making whoopee, and taking a poo are all memorable and common birding moments. Have fun with it, and don't stand too close to a constipated ostrich.

 

[NUMENIOS]

A very direct question

Please ask yourself this question: Are you interested in birds at all? Or could it be that you just use them to fulfill your ambition? (Your ambition being, presumably, that you want to prove to yourself that you are capable, not a failure.)

You don't have to answer that question to anyone else, but you should be clear about it for yourself. Mind you, I'm not at all suggesting that you are NOT interested in birds. I don't know. But you should find out, or else you may just be wasting your time.

Ivan

 

[elkcub]

The objective is to learn who you are, while not feeling guilty for what you find.

Ed

 

[ovenbird43]

Start your poop list. How many birds have you seen take a big DUMP?

At first I read that as "how many birds have you seen while taking a big dump?" Well, that could be a way to spice things up a bit, huh:t:?

 

[NUMENIOS]

A universal phrase?!

The objective is to learn who you are, while not feeling guilty for what you find.

Ed

Heyhey, Ed! Does my memory delude me or have I read the very same sentence two days ago on dalat's "Why do I post here at all?-thread ...

Must be nice to have an all-purpose-phrase. Unfortunately, I haven't found mine yet, so my posts are still all hand-made. Terribly old-fashioned, isn't it?

Ivan

 

[elkcub]

Heyhey, Ed! Does my memory delude me or have I read the very same sentence two days ago on dalat's "Why do I post here at all?-thread ...

Must be nice to have an all-purpose-phrase. Unfortunately, I haven't found mine yet, so my posts are still all hand-made. Terribly old-fashioned, isn't it?

Ivan

Hi Ivan,

I'm trying to be verbally efficient nowadays.

Ed