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Are We Birders?

Follow along as we learn to spot, photograph, and simply notice the birds sharing our everyday parks, streets, and backyards.

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Stories

A pair of well-worn black binoculars with a soft, textured neck strap rests on the open pages of a small, weathered field notebook, its cream-colored paper filled with tiny, illegible scribbles and simple bird doodles. They sit on a rough wooden picnic table at the edge of a lush park, with out-of-focus green trees and a hint of blue sky behind. Soft morning sunlight filters through leaves, creating dappled patches of light and shadow across the notebook and table. Photographic realism, eye-level composition with a shallow depth of field keeps the binoculars sharply in focus, while the background melts into gentle bokeh, suggesting a playful, beginner birder’s first outing.

Peek into our photo nest, where each snapshot captures a tiny feathered moment from our walks, windows, and weekend wanderings. (COMING SOON)

A vivid, close-up photograph of a small songbird perched on a thin branch just outside a slightly smudged window, the glass subtly reflecting the surrounding garden. The bird’s feathers show intricate texture and mixed browns and yellows, while a simple birdwatching guidebook and a pair of compact binoculars lie slightly blurred on an interior windowsill. Late afternoon light streams in at an angle, creating a warm, golden glow and soft reflections on the glass. The composition follows the rule of thirds, with the bird crisply in focus and the cozy interior details providing context. The mood is playful and curious, capturing the feeling of discovering backyard birding from home in photographic realism.

Come back often to see new bird faces, changing seasons, and the small details we might have missed without a camera.

About

Our Novice Birding Journey

Start here

We’re Alex and Traci: longtime nature lovers, occasional strategic wanderers, and very enthusiastic beginners at keeping track of the birds we see along the way. Alex brings the actual naturalist knowledge, and Traci brings the field diary, the camera, and a strong willingness to ask, “Wait, what was that?” or say, “Where, I don’t see it” approximately 400 times per outing.

This blog is for our family, friends, and anyone who thinks birds are kind of cool but does not necessarily want to memorize feather patterns, wake up before sunrise, or own a vest with 47 pockets. We’re here to share the birds we spot, the places we visit, the IDs we feel reasonably confident about, and the moments when nature reminds us that paying attention is half the fun.

If you’re already a birder, welcome. If you’re bird-curious, also welcome. If you’re just here to see whether we eventually buy better binoculars, honestly, same.

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An overhead, photographic shot of a light-colored wooden table neatly arranged with beginner birding essentials: a spiral-bound notebook with sketched bird silhouettes, a gently used field guide open to colorful illustrations, a compact digital camera, and a small pile of smooth trail pebbles. A single feather with white and gray striping lies across the notebook. Soft, diffused daylight from an unseen window illuminates the scene evenly, casting barely-there shadows and highlighting textures in the paper and wood grain. The composition is clean and organized, with negative space on one side for a calm, inviting atmosphere. The mood is playful yet focused, evoking the start of a novice birder’s organized adventure.

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Reach out with questions, bird IDs, or stories from your own walks.

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