Opinion what do the birders know

Meyer handles this scene delicately, soft-pedaling the sentimentality, and creating a small intimate breathing space where another type of teen can exist on the screen. It's refreshing. At one point, David describes to Ellen the different kinds of birders, broken down by Konrad in his memoir: There are "feeders" and "listers" and, the highest level, "watchers".

Watchers are the ones who actually learn how to see , whose obsession drives them into transcendent layers of sight, where the delineation between the bird and the watcher becomes irrelevant. It is a place of one-ness with your passion, with nature.

Konrad admitted in his memoir that he was a "lister" who "strives to be a watcher". David's memories of his mother are already fading. He thinks he will never get over the loss. His dad doesn't get it. His friends are kind, but they don't get it either. David is a also "lister" striving to be "watcher". Watching will include not only the birds through his binoculars, but his father, his lost mother, his new stepmom, his friends, himself.

Read her answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. Ben Kingsley as Lawrence Konrad. James Legros as Donald Portnoy. Alex Wolff as Timmy Barsky. Katie Chang as Ellen Reeves. There is a difference between birding and birdwatching, but the difference is unexplainable.

There is no semantic difference between the two terms, and they are often used interchangeably. However, everyone engaged in actively pursuing birds perceives a difference. You know who you are. Birdwatching is a pastime. Birding is a sport, sort of.

Tools such as eBird allow us to track our sightings and contribute to citizen science from our own backyard or living room. They remind us that our urban landscape is teeming with life. Increased social-media initiatives by birding organizations worldwide are helping to foster a sense of community among people sequestered in their homes.

Swick, not only provide ways to connect and convene, but also help break down barriers between seasoned and novice birders. If anything, the pandemic is turning all of us into beginners who watch everything outside our window — even the flyby cacophonous gaggle of Canada geese — with curiosity and wonder. By watching them closely, so are we.

Build your personal news feed. Skip to main content. Julia Zarankin. Special to The Globe and Mail. Illustration by JooHee Yoon. Bookmark Please log in to bookmark this story. Membership benefits include one year of Audubon magazine and the latest on birds and their habitats. Your support helps secure a future for birds at risk.

Our email newsletter shares the latest programs and initiatives. By Nicholas Lund January 25, Gear Up A great thing about birding is how little equipment you need to actually do it. Get Out There The time has come to actually get outside. Get Audubon in Your Inbox Let us send you the latest in bird and conservation news. Email address.