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Birding and Me

I usually go birding every chance I have, but in my busy teen schedule, I usually only have a morning or sometimes if I'm lucky, a whole day free. Besides going birding with my dad, if the Tainan Wild Bird Society has any events going on, I almost always participate. For example, me and my dad participate in the New Year Bird Count every year, we help with the Black-faced Spoonbill survey, and other numerous Wetland birding events, and I also volunteer to be a bird guide at a local birding spot sponsored by the Wild Bird Society. One year we focused on submitting as many checklists for a local wetland IBA to help prevent it from becoming a solar farm, which would mean that the Spoon-billed Sandpiper and the Nordmann’s Greenshank would have to find another spot to rest during migration. 

Black-faced Spoonbill (with tag)

Beside all the events we participate in, me and my dad use eBird every time we go birding, and take very careful counts when we bird. Recently I have started to pay more attention to the eBird rare bird alert, and if there are any rare birds around where we live, I start pestering my dad to take me until he gives in. The next thing we know, we are standing in a field in the middle of nowhere for not one, not two, but three hours just so we can catch a glimpse of the exotic Collared Kingfisher. 

Collared Kingfisher

Besides just birding, I have recently taken up photography, and it is like starting to bird all over again. I start paying attention to every-day birds again, and I start paying more attention to the details. Photography has made me more patient and my birding skills have improved, too.

Red-flanked Bluetail

~ Article and Photos by Isaac Lang

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