Some readers—possibly relatives of our writers—suggested starting a series of interviews with them. Who are these writers, and why do they contribute to the site without pay and with no real benefits (I’m still waiting for groupies to show up when I’m out birding)? We thought they deserved a proper introduction, so we started this series to find out.
Your Birding History And Future
How long have you been a birder, and how did you get into birding?
I started birding at the age of 20 in 2010, following a required “Biology of Birds” course at university. It was my junior year, and I was kind of over college, so I didn’t really apply myself in the first part of the course. However, the first question on the midterm stumped me. It said, “How does a junco fly?”. I didn’t know what a junco was, much less how it flew. So, I quickly wrote an answer and continued.
It was that experience and the professor introducing us to Sir David Attenborough’s Life of Birds that grew into a lifelong passion.
Has your attitude towards birding changed with time – for example, did it get intense, do you focus on different things now, etc.?
Yes, definitely. There have been times when I am avidly listing for the year, county, whatever, and then other times when my interest level wanes and I can’t stand to look at another chickadee. My interest in the overall life list is pretty consistent, though, and I want to try and add lifers whenever possible, which usually requires travel, as the lifers in my local area are getting to be sparse.
What were the ornithological highlights in your life so far?
Well, I’ve shared many of them on 10,000 Birds posts before, so have a look through those. But I suppose my favorite moments are seeing a mass group of birds. The Snettisham Spectacular, Snow Geese Flocks in Washington, Swallow-tailed Kites in Senegal, Vaux’s Swifts in Portland, Oregon, come to mind. These birds might not all be rare, but to see such a ginormous collection of birds is just such an incredible sight.
What are your plans for the next few years, as related to birding? For example, trips planned?
In the next few years, I hope to add Australia to my eBird map. I can never get enough of birding in Africa, so I hope to explore more there, as well as some islands to see endemics. There are too many places to go and not enough time and money to do it!
I enjoy traveling to places that are off-the-beaten track and sharing these locations with my audience, so I keep track of trending and underground destinations to decide where the next trip spot will be!
If you had to make a living off birding, what kind of activity would you try?
In my real life, I am a hotelier. So if I had to make a living off of birding, I would own and operate a tropical birding lodge, do some more serious guiding, and write professionally.
Podcasting has allowed me to engage with birders in a fun and educational way that I enjoy. I don’t make a living off of it, but what I do make from it helps cover costs!
Your Life As A Non-Birder
What do you do for work?
My husband and I own and operate a hotel that has been in my family since 1965. It features 12 rooms, and we are located just a block away from the ocean in a desirable tourist destination on the Oregon coast. We do everything with no staff: check people in, clean rooms, and do the laundry. Good thing we don’t offer breakfast, or we would never get any birding time! We do get a chance to get away every once in a while for birding trips and to guide at birding festivals.
Is there any link between your work and birds/birding?
Birders often ask me if our hotel is a birding lodge, but unfortunately, we don’t get a whole lot of birders. But we do make an effort to open up our guests’ eyes to the joys of birding! We have four copies of The Big Year DVDs, lots of bird art, and we offer Tufted Puffin walks during the breeding season. Inevitably, our conversations do turn to birds, birding, and travel.
Hannah and Eric guiding a Tufted Puffin walk
What’s your favourite thing to do outside of birding?
A few years ago, I decided to get back into reading, so during downtime at the hotel, I spend a lot of time reading. As a true Oregonian, I enjoy a good beer.
My favorite thing to do is travel. And as you likely know, birding and travel go hand-in-hand! My favorite non-birding destination? Disney!
How does your personal environment (e.g., partner, children, etc.) regard your interest in birds and birding?
I am fortunate that my husband is an avid birder as well. My parents, on the other hand, are proud of us … but probably also think we overemphasize it.
Birding General Info And Advice
What are some of your birding tips for beginners?
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. There is a wealth of information available, and numerous people are willing to help.
Someone once told me that buying good binoculars is investing in yourself. They may have been trying to talk me into a sale, but good optics can be a game-changer. Make sure you know how to use them, too. I am often surprised by how often folks don’t know about the eye relief.
How important are apps for your birding?
For me, it is essential. I rely heavily on eBird, Merlin, and iBird Ultimate. These programs have changed the way I bird, and I use them daily.
Do you have any favourite birding-related media (e.g., books, podcasts, websites, magazines, videos, etc.) you can recommend?
I’ll shamelessly pitch my three podcasts: Hannah and Erik Go Birding, Women Birders (Happy Hour), and Bird Nerd Book Club. My main media intakes are books and social media. Goodreads is a good place to find my book recommendations.
Are there any aspects of birding you would like to learn more about?
I am always interested in adding destinations to my bucket list, that’s one thing I love about reading other 10,000 Birds blogs! Also, I find birders to be a fascinating group, and I love learning more about them as we all come from such different places and converge over this shared passion. I’ve befriended so many people that I wouldn’t have met otherwise, from vastly different ages, locations, careers, and more. It’s been a fun ride to grow and learn with so many others.
Hannah birding with a women’s group in Brazil
10,000 Birds
Why do you write for 10,000 Birds, other than for the fame and glory?
Yes, fame and glory! I always aspire to write, but never find the time to commit to it. I was a regular visitor to the site and thought I would pitch a story and see if I got the green light! The monthly 10,000 Birds spot keeps me in the practice of writing regularly and forcing myself to find the time. However, I have loved collaborating with the other writers, and it’s been fun to communicate with them all periodically!
What do you like and dislike about the site?
(Hannah did not answer this question, but I think it is safe to assume she likes everything and dislikes nothing. Ed.)
(Dream on. Assistant Ed.)
What do you think should change?
(Hannah did not answer this question, probably out of fear for her current salary as a writer getting slashed from zero to a negative amount. Assistant Ed.)
In an ideal world, who would you want to contribute to 10,000 Birds as well?
Anyone who wants to get into writing and sharing these experiences with others should join the beat writers or even make periodic postings. It’s a welcoming group and engaged readership that I have been honored to share my adventures with!
Hannah and Erik are great hosts and I can strongly recommend their hotel in Cannon Beach (OR). Check out those puffins while you’re there and the local sewage treatment is pretty good too (it’s so posh it doesn’t smell).