Your Birding History And Future
How long have you been a birder, and how did you get into birding?
I was already watching birds as a child. I had two small (really small) bird books and identified the birds that visited a feeder at the window in East Berlin.
I have been birdwatching seriously since April 11, 1973, at 6:45 a.m. Back then, I caught a blue tit at a feeder (which was already prohibited at the time) in order to band it with homemade aluminum rings (which were also prohibited). That was the first entry in my observation notebook.
Has your attitude towards birding changed with time – for example, did it get intense, do you focus on different things now, etc.?
Birdwatching has evolved from a hobby into my profession. I have worked in official nature conservation since June 1, 1984, and have been working freelance as a bird guide and organizer of ornithological and nature tours since 1992. Since the pandemic, I have increasingly worked as a surveyor for large-scale wind farms, solar parks, and similar projects. This work is well-suited to my age, as it allows me to be home every day.
What were the ornithological highlights in your life so far?
For me, the ornithological highlights were certainly the first records of bird species in Mongolia (Rufous Hawk-Cuckoo), Romania (Great Spotted Cuckoo ), and on the island of Socotra (Booted Eagle and first breeding record for Red-knobbed Coot).
What are your plans for the next few years, as related to birding? For example, trips planned?
I have traveled to many countries so far. Nevertheless, there are still destinations on my bucket list, such as Kamchatka or Pakistan. Furthermore, I would like to write books about certain protected areas in Germany and analyze the hundreds of ring-reading records for Audouin’s gulls and lesser black-backed gulls from Morocco. I would also love to search for lost bird species in remote regions or on isolated islands. I would also like to write regularly for 10,000birds—I’ll have more capacity for that in the future.
If you had to make a living off birding, what kind of activity would you try?
I have been working in nature conservation since 1984 (including monitoring black storks, lesser spotted eagles, etc.) and have been working freelance as a bird guide and tour operator since 1992—there is nothing better than turning your hobby into your profession.
Your Life As A Non-Birder
What do you do for work?
Birdwatching: I work as a birding guide and tour operator specializing in birding trips. For construction projects (wind farms, solar parks, etc.), I conduct preliminary surveys to map bird and lizard populations.
Is there any link between your work and birds/birding?
Absolutely—I earn my living from birdwatching and bird mapping.
What’s your favourite thing to do outside of birding?
Sitting in my garden, drinking tea, scratching our dog behind the ears, and: watching birds.
How does your personal environment (e.g., partner, children, etc.) regard your interest in birds and birding?
My wife met me when I was already a birdwatcher and a guide for birding tours; neither she nor my son has ever known it any other way. My wife is also a skilled birder with a good knowledge of species. My son grew up seeing birds in his father’s hands—birds I had caught for banding.
Birding General Info And Advice
What are some of your birding tips for beginners?
Get out there, stick with it, and don’t get frustrated if you fail to identify a bird species or misidentify one. It should be fun at all times.
How important are apps for your birding?
Apps aren’t that important for me and my work, but I do recommend them to beginners. Personally, I enjoy seeing who is faster at identifying bird calls: the app or me.
Do you have any favourite birding-related media (e.g., books, podcasts, websites, magazines, videos, etc.) you can recommend?
I do recommend the standard book on bird identification in Europe to my guests (without advertising it here).
Are there any aspects of birding you would like to learn more about (e.g., bird families, birding destinations, people involved in birding)?
There are many sub-disciplines within ornithology: the study of pellets, bioacoustics, feather studies, oology, and parasitology. I often encourage my guests to explore these aspects of bird study. Ornithology is more than just birdwatching. I have delved into all these topics myself—in fact, I just remembered I still have a bag of Barn Owl pellets from Morocco in the garage waiting to be examined.
10,000 Birds
Why do you write for 10,000 Birds, other than for the fame and glory?
Mea culpa: I really ought to write for 10,000 Birds much more often. However, as a freelance tour operator, bird guide, and surveyor, I have very little time. But I intend to do better!
What do you like and dislike about the site? What should change?
I find this site really interesting. Reading it is usually a regular part of my daily routine when I’m at home. Hats off to the editor, Kai!
In an ideal world, who would you want to contribute to 10,000 Birds as well?
I would find it interesting if scientific research and its results were published more frequently as summaries on 10,00 Birds.
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