Birding beginnings.

[Danelle and I feeding the city pigeons - January 2012, Old Quito, Ecuador]

With our transient living status, Jon and I have been brainstorming ideas for hobbies that can travel with us. This weekend we each made a list of five things that we like to do or would like to do together. Fortunately for us (being married and all) we had almost everything in common. It then became a matter of narrowing down what we wanted to pursue. Reading, cooking, and studying scripture together. Those are things that happen pretty naturally in our routine together. But at the top of both of our lists was a hobby that we had talked about in the past but is completely new to both of us. Birding.

Pros of birding: 

1. Relatively cheap - start up cost includes a field journal, a North American Bird guide, and cost of printing any photos we might take.

2. Easy to travel with - birds (with the gift of flight) are everywhere.

3. A hobby that we could invite friends to join us on. A beautiful hike in a park? Totally, yeah!

Jon and I started researching together our new role as 'birders.' Our internet browsing was quickly enlightening to both of us. Birding is much more involved then we imaged and the world of birders is absolutely incredible. We feel like the tourists who stand out with their gaudy travel clothes and giant cameras hanging around their necks, pointing at landmarks with little understanding of the history and context of the thing they are taking so many pictures of.

Birding is serious. Jon taught me about 'pishing.' This is a sound that some birders use to attract the attention of birds. However, many birders frown on the practice because it is disturbing the natural environment. The whole point of birding is observation, according to the diehards. Jon and I jokingly practiced 'pishing' to one another the rest of the afternoon but honestly, we were feeling overwhelmed by our new hobby before we even started.

But then I remembered Chef Ramsay. He often instructs chefs and restaurant owners to 'stick to the basics.' The most beautiful meals are often the most simple.

Why do we want to watch birds? The joy of being in nature and observing and recording and reflecting on God's beautiful creation is so beautifully simple.

This week, I bought a green journal with soft drawings of birds and butterflies on the cover. It is full of empty pages just begging to be filled with all kinds of nature and birdy observations.

 [School girl playing with the city pigeons - January 2012, Old Quito, Ecuador]

Sometimes, I become paralyzed by an idea without actually trying it. Like a juvenile bird venturing from the nest for the very first time, Jon and I are awkwardly flapping our wings into this new endeavor. Flying has to start somewhere.