We asked several of our writers the same questions. Here are the answers to the one above.
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I think I became more perceptive about nature in general. Meanwhile, I have also branched out to butterflies, reptiles, mammals, fish, etc. I am also trying to learn and memorize more bird sounds. In theory, that should help prevent memory loss in old age (Peter Hinow).
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Nothing. I started birding before my life could be changed (David Tomlinson).
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Birding changed my life in an evolutionary manner, not a revolutionary way. Slowly, I began to accumulate outdoorsy clothes that smell of insecticide, collect optical equipment, more books, and most importantly, travel with the purpose of seeing birds (that includes business travel…) (Peter Penning).
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I started birdwatching 53 years ago. At first, it was simply a meaningful and satisfying hobby. Later, I worked in nature conservation—initially as a volunteer and subsequently for government agencies. Since 1992, I have been working as a freelance birding guide and tour operator; my hobby became my profession. Birdwatching has been a constant thread running through my life—from the days of socialism in East Germany right up to the present day. While the world around me has changed, the act of birdwatching itself has not (Rolf Nessing).
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Since I’ve been a birder for as long as I remember, that’s difficult to answer. I guess the planning of holidays is what changed the most: You don’t go where you fancy being, you go where a certain species is (Jochen Roeder).
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I have been birding for as long as I can recall, so my answer would have to be nothing has changed (John Hague).
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I began waking up at hours I previously believed were reserved for bakers and airport workers. I also discovered that almost anywhere can become a holiday if there is a bird nearby that I have not seen (Fitzroy Rampersand).
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My birding is primarily backyard birding, so at the house we are now in, I began planting native plants to increase the insect population. I started by transforming a chain link fence into a pollinator wall. I first set up a lattice of bigger branches, then wove in hollow-stemmed branches, bug hotels, and baskets with nesting materials. At the base are rocks and bricks and bits of concrete for the ground-nesting bees. It’s like a giant art project! And the bushes next to the pollinator wall have birds all throughout the day—far more than any other spot in my yard. After that, I started providing bird food and water. Living in dry, hot Denver, Colorado, water is essential. I have a lot of large platters set around the yard to provide water, and I added a fountain in this yard that the birds come to as if it were their own personal drinking spigot (Susan Wroble).
The bushes by this pollinator wall have the most birds of any spot in Susan’s yard.
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I became aware of so many more details around me. My hearing is always tuned to bird sounds now. My eyes are always scanning the sky, the countryside, the city park trees, etc., no matter what I am doing (Mary Alice Hayward).
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Birding has introduced me to wonderful people who have become close friends. In addition, it has taught me patience, deepened my understanding of bird behavior, and completely changed the way I see light through a camera lens (Kelly Isley).
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I was always fond of birds – ever since I can remember (Rhea Alaudra).
Photo: Chinese Pond Heron, Chongming Dongtan, July 2026
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