- Because: They are responsible for so many cliches. Feathered friends? More like Feathered Cliches.
- Gulls. Particularly seagulls. All gull species should be abolished by law.
- They get me to spend money on things no sane person needs (10k USD camera lenses) and go to places no sane person would ever go to (landfills, sewage ponds – almost makes me wonder whether there are also bird species that can best be found at musical theaters).
- Some moulting patterns – extensively outlined in the HBW by scientists who apparently do not have a life at all – are painstakingly boring.
- I might have to go to jail if I kill somebody for asking me if I keep birds at home. Or how that works with loving cats.
- They often make me get up at 3 am in the morning …
- … and worse, be outside in the dark after 7 pm (owls).
- Leaf warblers. And the way they pretend to be different species despite looking exactly alike. Like politicians pretending to be different from each other, even though they all peddle the same lies.
- Some birds can only be found in places where it is very hard to get beer.
- My sense of humor is perceived as juvenile because some birds have pornographic names, such as Asian Tit.
Photo: Seagull, which prefers to remain anonymous, Hokkaido, Feb 2024
Kai has lived in Shanghai for more than 21 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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