A Young Birder's Perspective: A World of Birds
By Marina DeLuca, Group for the East End Environmental Associate
Young people do not usually list one of their hobbies as birdwatching. However, at 23 years old, I become more enamored by birds every day. While I have always been interested in the outdoors, this new focus developed recently based on the building blocks of curiosity in the natural world. I grew up in a very environmentally-focused household. I spent a great deal of time outdoors discovering the world around me. My father is an environmental scientist, so I did have access to a wealth of knowledge about the environment. However, with modern technology, it is easier than ever to learn about the world around us. There are apps, websites, and even simple Google searches that can help you learn more about what lives outside your front door.
I did not become an avid birder until I traveled to Europe and spent a semester studying in England. When I arrived, I noticed the landscape looked so different from that of the northeastern United States that I knew. Everything was different! All the birds I was used to seeing, such as a blue jay or Canada goose, were nowhere to be found! One day I was out for a run, and I set eyes on a mystical-looking black, blue and white bird. This creature was so fascinating I decided I needed to know what it was, so I sat down in the grass and started Googling birds until I found a match - a magpie. Several books I had read growing up mentioned magpies, however, this small detail was not very important to me previously since I had never seen one. When I finally did, I felt like I was stepping into the world of fiction that only existed in novels. Soon I couldn’t help myself; I had to learn the names of these creatures surrounding me. I began taking photos of the new birds I would encounter and send them home to my dad. It became a great way to keep in touch with him and my family. Soon my dad started sharing these photos with his birder colleagues, and the game of “can you ID this bird?” began.
Since that experience, my love of birding has continued to grow. I found it to be like a game or Easter egg hunt, and even though there was no candy, the excitement of seeing a bird I had never seen before was enough. Maybe birding is not for you, but I believe we should work to maintain our childlike curiosities and desire for adventure. You never know what world you will find in nature; I can only urge you to put down your phone, take a walk and discover the magic.
Marina DeLuca led the Group’s participation in the 2020-2021 Project FeederWatch citizen scientist project. You can find more of her blog posts on the subject of birds here.
