I’ve been listening to the book Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper. He weaves together his passion for and incredible depth of knowledge about birds with his experiences growing up Black, gay, and nerdy in the 70’s and 80’s.
He shares stories of running through the suburban landscape of Long Island with his fellow comic book and Star Trek enthusiast buddies, coming out to his best friend his senior year in high school, and his very touching account of when he can’t bear hiding who he is a second longer and comes out to his friends at Harvard.
He always manages to gracefully bring the narrative back to his birding adventures and the lessons he has learned over the years from a passion that runs deep. I have some experience with birds, but he has made me realize just how little I know and how rewarding birding can be, especially when you get good enough to recognize migrating birds by sound. I am developing a better understanding of why my friend across the street will rush out with binoculars in hand in the spring and fall, peering up into the tall trees to spot the source of the song she heard from inside.
Maybe a new hobby beckons?
My Corner of the Village 