At its heart, birdwatching is an act of quiet rebellion, says Natalie Kyriacou. It is the gentle act of noticing – the willingness to see the world around you
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They are the most curious creature of all. Hyper-focused. Single-minded. Intense. Devoted. Often single. They speak in reverent tones and hushed whispers and can walk with preternatural silence across a bed of leaves. They wield binoculars with the nonchalance of a sommelier sampling a Dom Pérignon. They can crouch in shrubbery for endless hours. They speak in code and use hand signals. They have lists and notebooks and write with lead pencils. They dress with military precision: khaki pants, fitted belt, cedar-brown shirt, wide-brimmed hat, waterproof boots. Their social calendars are governed by migration patterns and their conversations are peppered with whispered phrases like “Was that the trill of a reed warbler?”
They are bearers of universal mysteries. Holders of ancient wisdom. They are birdwatchers.
Birding isn’t merely a hobby. It’s a lifestyle, like wearing Crocs or having a Goop subscription.
