Over the past year, I’ve really been focused on birding and have spent several weekends visiting various locations photograph birds. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have had some amazing photography experiences from exploring urban parks in Singapore to travelling through Borneo, which was just a breathtaking experience. I’ve been able to capture some incredible animals along the way, ranging from proboscis monkeys to red deer. While I’ve done a lot of globetrotting, I’ve also spent plenty of time visiting local nature reserves right here in England.
Recently, I hit a massive milestone: my 100th bird species. To clarify, I’ve seen far more than 100 birds, but this marks 100 species where I’ve managed to get really nice, clean photographs. Throughout this process, I’ve gained a wealth of knowledge about these specific birds. I’ve captured a broad range of species, from waterbirds and waterfowl to birds of prey and wading birds.
The Tranquillity of Birding
There is just something truly special about birding. The tranquillity it brings standing in one location for hours, just staring into a forest is unmatched. There’s nothing quite like it for emptying your mind, disconnecting from the world, and surrounding yourself with woodlands while listening to the sounds of the birds. As a hobby, it is one of the best life experiences you can have to disconnect and reconnect with nature.
Conservation & A Legacy Project
I feel that birds play such an important part in our world and ecosystem. It is genuinely sad sometimes to see how birds and their environments aren’t respected. We are losing a lot of species; vultures, for instance, are a prime example of an animal currently on a rapid decline.
The aim of my new website is to serve as a central library to capture all the birds I’ve seen and photographed. More importantly, it serves as a legacy project to build awareness of different bird types and encourage people to protect them, ensuring these species can live on well beyond my lifetime.
Alongside cataloguing the birds, the website features a blog section. I will be posting monthly entries detailing my trips and experiences whether that’s a write-up from my local reserve in Sandwell Valley or a deep dive into a birding adventure in Borneo. Please check out the website here.
Check out some of the photos I’ve taken
