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Are We All Boring ? (1 Viewer)

F

Finchey

Member
Sorry to go slightly out of context on this thread but i had a rather unpleasent experience last week and wanted some thoughts from like minded friends.

Cutting a long story short, i seen a slightly unusual bird in my garden last week and was curious as to its identity. Its just that im fairly new to birdwatching and wanted to research in my local library what it could have been. When i said to the young girl what i was looking for, she gave a little like giggle to herself, as if to say get a life you loser. I felt so humiliated.

When i told another friend about this he said its because birdwatchers are seen to be very dull type people like trainwatchers, etc. I honestly didnt think this to be the case, but has anyone else experienced this sort of reaction from members of the public when they said they were keen bird watchers ?

Btw - The birds i actually saw, i found out were waxwings. Not the rare bird i thought they might be, but none the matter, a first for me and an exciting one at that.

Finchey
 
I wouldn't be intimidated by a silly little girl, you're probably not interested in the stuff she likes either! The world is a richer place for folk liking diferent things.

As for Waxwings...... I got so excited when I first saw one, they are fabulous wee birds
 
I feel a little embarrassed talking about it or looking in open places, just because I remember watching TV shows that showed bird watchers (aka sesame street) and I used to think "how is that fun just standing there and watching a bird, I'd never do that!" Now I do but I guess I feel people will think I am one of those die hard (no offense if anybody is) birders with the safari hats and the camera and binos wrapped around their neck and tripod and scope over their shoulder.

Some people gave me criticism at first but now they think it is cool and actually call me while they spot something on the highway, or tell me every little bird they see. My mom now even has the bus driver she works with (she is an assistant on a special needs bus) scanning the utility pole for hawks! It rubs off!

But boring, no, knowledgeable yes!

-Matt
 
I have been given a bit of stick at work, because of my birding, but the same people that dish it out suddenly become very interested when they see something unusual.I have lost count of the time these people have come to me, with questions about a bird they have seen, in their garden or where ever.I generally thing everyone has an interest in birds, its just that most people don't notice them until they are right infront of them.Of course we were all probably in the same position at one time, and then something out of the ordinary changed our lives. Waxwings have probably been responsible for a few converts this winter.
 
An unpleasant experience. I agree with your friend; I think some people do see us as 'anoraks'. I'm very selective about who I tell about my hobby - precisely to avoid that kind of reaction. But birdwatching is a wonderful hobby and I wouldn't let that kind of insensitive reaction affect the way you feel about it. Reading this, I should practice what I preach but I can do without that kind of reaction (even from strangers or people that I don't know particularly well). Non-birdwatching friends are generally supportive, if somewhat mystified as to the appeal.
 
I rarely used to tell folks about my birding as the pitying looks I got from them really hurt my feelings but now I don't know if it's just me being older of developing a thicker skin ;) but I'll freely admit to being a birder and naturalist :t: I find that older folk are usually very interested and will happily chat away about stuff they've seen in the garden or out and about and I always make a point when I'm outdoors of pointing stuff out to folk - stuff like the three porpoise at Stag Rocks on March 13th or the salmon jumping a waterfall last September ;)

Personally I'd rather be a 'sad' birdwatcher than a so-called normal person who watches soaps and reads gossip magazines and complains about being bored and there being nothing to do! :-O THEY are the sad anoraks, not us! How you can be classed as an anorak because you are interested in the world around you beats me :smoke: Better than wondering if Michael Jackson really will turn up at Jade Goody's State Funeral on Saturday ;) *i work in a newsagents so can't help seeing headlines like this....I don't READ the stoopid articles!!!* :-O

Finchey....you wear your binoculars with pride mate! :king:
 
Personally I've always enjoyed not fitting in with the stereotypical idea of a birdwatcher, pretty sure people who know me don't think of me as a nerd. The only reason I'm sometimes reluctant to tell people I'm interested in birds is because I then risk being bored to death hearing about the blue tits in their garden.

By the way I would have loved to have found some waxwings when I was new to birding, I'd been going for many a year before I found some for myself.
 
Yup, we're all boring. Most hobbies are intrinsically a bit sad and open to ridicule. After all, who cares about the outcome of 22 millionaires chasing a ball around a bit of grass? And why on earth would you want to spend days climbing a lump of sterile rock just because it sticks a couple of miles above the ground?

Compared to putting food on the table for your family or saving the lives of babies it's all rather pointless, isn't it?

Don't take yourself too seriously and you'll find that you don't care whether or not anyone else does either. Inviting the world to laugh with you rather than at you is always the best strategy.
 
Don't let em get to you - I've just started again after a twenty year gap and today I spent a day around the river Dee - [just over the water !] and I met loads of cheerful, friendly and helpful birders and nature enthusiasts - I'm sure a few people don't get it but that's their look out...

It is a good job that other birders are friendly though with all my daft newbie questions ;)
 
Hi Finchey,
Like you I live in N.I. I'm fairly new to watching birds and still do so mainly in my back garden. I would love to see a Waxwing though. Can you tell me what area you saw it in!
 
I find quite the opposite of disinterest - I can't seem to stop the car to take a photo without a caravan pulling alongside also wanting to share in the experience (inevitably scaring all possible wildlife…) And if I point my camera at a duck in a town, it immediately becomes the focus of great fascination among all passers-by, who either whip out their own cameras or start sharing their knowledge of birds with each other! I really think most people would like to observe birds, given a chance, strange as it may seem, but somehow generally do not notice them much. Maybe the librarian just got the giggles at the term "bird-watching", which easily lends itself to double-entendres … ;-) Still looking forward to seeing my first waxwing …
 
Yeah, sometimes people give me the, "No offense, but no one cares about birds". But then I just realize that we all have our little hobbies that seem pointless to everyone else, weather it's birding, or anything else. And I agree with Matt that it does rub off. Every now and then my friend sends me photos of ducks in his canal or birds at his feeder, and our whole family is much more knowledgable about birds than before. Any way, it's for our satisfaction, and not someone else's.
Congrats on the Waxwing, Finchey:t:
 
Helenelizabeth2 said:
Yup, we're all boring. Most hobbies are intrinsically a bit sad and open to ridicule. After all, who cares about the outcome of 22 millionaires chasing a ball around a bit of grass? And why on earth would you want to spend days climbing a lump of sterile rock just because it sticks a couple of miles above the ground?

Compared to putting food on the table for your family or saving the lives of babies it's all rather pointless, isn't it?

Don't take yourself too seriously and you'll find that you don't care whether or not anyone else does either. Inviting the world to laugh with you rather than at you is always the best strategy.
Click to expand...

Perfect. I teach high school and birdwatching is not at all cool for teenagers. You should see the smirks from the teenaged staff at the wings place where we gather to tally the Christmas bird count. "Are you with the birdwatchers?...giggle giggle, smirk". I have to laugh right along with them.

I make a point of "confessing" to my students that I watch birds. They snicker and laugh and it's OK, because I'm laughing first. But then they quiz me and get me to ID birds by sound on the internet, mostly to waste time, but also because they don't know people that can do that.

When I get the grade 10's to do a wildlife ID journal in the ecology unit, you always find quite a few with a genuine interest. They still aren't going to be seen dead binoculars around their neck, but if they see something on the way to school, they'll tell/ask me about it.

I also get questions from neighbors and co-workers. House guests are often fascinated by the birds at the feeders, especially when I can answer their questions.

Most humans are out of touch with nature. We keep our kids in sight of the back door; and allowing kids to expore the woodlot or abandonned field on their own will land children's aid at your door.

Geeky, freaky, odd or creepy,.... the world needs people like us.

Scott
 
cavan wood said:
Perfect. I teach high school and birdwatching is not at all cool for teenagers. You should see the smirks from the teenaged staff at the wings place where we gather to tally the Christmas bird count. "Are you with the birdwatchers?...giggle giggle, smirk". I have to laugh right along with them.

I make a point of "confessing" to my students that I watch birds. They snicker and laugh and it's OK, because I'm laughing first. But then they quiz me and get me to ID birds by sound on the internet, mostly to waste time, but also because they don't know people that can do that.

When I get the grade 10's to do a wildlife ID journal in the ecology unit, you always find quite a few with a genuine interest. They still aren't going to be seen dead binoculars around their neck, but if they see something on the way to school, they'll tell/ask me about it.

I also get questions from neighbors and co-workers. House guests are often fascinated by the birds at the feeders, especially when I can answer their questions.

Most humans are out of touch with nature. We keep our kids in sight of the back door; and allowing kids to expore the woodlot or abandonned field on their own will land children's aid at your door.

Geeky, freaky, odd or creepy,.... the world needs people like us.

Scott
Click to expand...

Well said Scott, you sound like a teacher I would have enjoyed, and one that wouldn't give false information like last years zoology teacher (he told us a good way to tell juv bald eagles and golden eagles apart is bill color :-O, and sharp-shinned hawks are called that because their legs aren't feathered:-O) Anyways, that is probably what got my interest is that from an early age, 3, my grandfather and father had me out fishing and in the woods all the time. We then moved to a place that had a large open field and woods and I roamed it from the time I got home from school till my mom rang the bell to come home.

It is sad that a lot of humans lost touch with nature and that is whats makes us select few great. Not only can we ID birds but song, flight style, silhouette (<--- I will spell that right without spell check one day:t:), and fleeting glances, but we also know a lot about what is around in nature that is not a bird. So when people think we are crazy or freaks,...are we? Just because we know more and are conscious of what is around us and not blind, following schedules, green light after green light, meeting after meeting, wondering when our next coffee break is?

Sorry for rambling but it made me remember a time at work when I saw my first robin for the year last year and I went to my manager and said, "I saw a robin today!" Her answer was so? Made me think how people can go day to day and not notice what is around them. Also maybe I feel this way because I don't have much money for big cars, and fancy gadets so I have time for nature. I don't know.

Ok, I'm done now:-O! Off topic yes but I feel better now, maybe from now on I won't care who sees me...then I won't miss that many birds.

Cheers and sorry about that and I agree Finchey, wear those binoculars (I'll keep mine in my pocket8-P)

Good Birding,
Matt
 
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My almost 16 year daughter refers to me as the "birdbrain". LOL. But thats ok. At least she still thinks I have a brain. Most teenagers think their parents are completely stupid. I have tried numerous times to get her interested in birding but to no avail. She has a photographic memory and is a gifted student and generally loves nature and animals but she has no interest in it. She did go with me on one trip to a nearby town when I was trying to see the Snowy Owl and was with me when I saw the leucistic red-tailed hawk. She thought it was cool but that was it. LOL. My friends at work tolerate my talking about my latest "find" and will look at my pics because they are my friends and are interested in what interests me but thats it. They do tell me what birds and such they see in their yards and try to describe them and stuff but yeah generally I think we birdwatchers are thought of as boring people. It doesn't help me any that I also collect stamps. That also is not known for its excitement. LOL!
 
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