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Message: <blockquote data-quote="mathare" data-source="post: 3213912" data-attributes="member: 108071">My answers are pretty similar to a lot of what has gone before but I am going to throw them into the mix anyway.1) What is birding to you? Spotting as many different species as you can? Photographing them? Logging them?If you asked me to describe birding I'd probably say it was "relaxing". It's my weekend wind-down after working through the week. It's a chance to get outside after 40 hours a week in an office. But I admit I am something of a fair weather birder - if it is raining all weekend I probably won't get out birding and will get a little grumpy because of it.But that's how birding makes me feel rather than what it is. To me the activity means enjoying nature - primarily birds as there are still many, many species in the UK I have yet to see and birds are my main interest so I want to see them ahead of insects, plants etc. I like to get my eyes on a bird - I'm not content to just hear it as I want that visual reminder & confirmation that any ID I was able to make on sound alone is correct. I like to see different species and do keep lists (via my phone using Google Keep in the field which I then upload into BirdTrack at a later date - yes I could use the BirdTrack app but I don't) but I am happy seeing the same 30-40 species in the local park week in, week out. If there is the chance of seeing something new then I appreciate it but I don't actively go out my way to see something new (I don't twitch).2) Do any of you feel that if you are going to photograph birds you also need to be very knowledgeable and skilled with 'photography' or are novice photos just as interesting?Like many others I use a bridge/superzoom camera mostly, but I often carry a simple point & click too. I like to get "decent" shots of birds, by which I mean photos I would happily look at again and would be able to recognise the bird from them. They are not going to win any prizes and I don't do any post-processing etc as I'm not that interested in photography. I just want a record of a nice bird/setting really.3) What is your favourite bird and why??Like my favourite film and favourite song this probably changes on a regular basis. I suppose I get most excited by waders and wetland birds. I think they provide the right level of reward for finding them. There is a bit of a buzz from scouring a marsh with binoculars/scope hoping to catch a glimpse of a Snipe that you suspect is out there somewhere - and when you find him...fantastic! You've earned that tick. But then witnessing the majesty of a raptor is something special too. The little songbirds are OK, don't get me wrong, but they're not on my favourites list. I could make exceptions for some of the "fun" ones that have a bit of character about them like a wagtail but your Robins, tits etc, nah. I can happily sit and watch them, sure, but I'd be waiting for something more exciting to come along.</blockquote>

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