In bird-tour brochures, “connect with” occupies a curious middle ground between “observe clearly through a telescope” and “the guide heard something deep in the forest and assures us it was the target species.”
“Connect with” is thus one of birding’s most versatile verbs, capable of describing anything from spectacular views to a fleeting rustle that the guide confidently identifies while everyone else nods appreciatively.
Photo: Red-keeled Flowerpecker, PICOP area, Mindanao, April 2026
Note: As with most of my better posts, the idea for this one was stolen. In this case, from Peter Penning, who, for reasons not quite clear to me, seems to be proud of his title as Assistant Editor of 10,000 Birds.
Kai has lived in Shanghai for 22 years. He only started birding after moving to China, so he is far more familiar with Chinese birds than the ones back in his native Germany. As a birder, he considers himself strictly average and tries to make up for it with photography, which he shares on a separate website. Alas, most of the photos are pretty average as well.
He hopes that few clients of his consulting firm—focused on China’s chemical industry—ever find this blog, as it might raise questions about his professional priorities. Much of his time is spent either editing posts for 10,000 Birds or cleaning the litter boxes of his numerous indoor cats. He occasionally considers writing a piece comparing the two activities.
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