Update!!

Wow, it’s been over 10 months since my last update on this sight. Since then, I’ve been extremely busy, to say the least. The Ornithology Club at Ohio State has been back up and running, and I have made plenty of new friends in the birdwatching community. Most recently, I have had the opportunity to bird with Christian Hagenlocher of The Birding Project. This is just a small little update, but hinting of things to follow! As May approaches, my friend and I are finalizing our plans for a Big Month, with the goal of seeing over 250 species between Ohio (BWIAB) and the New England states (and possibly NY too!). Stay tuned for more updates!

Happy Birding!

Update and Most Recent Trip

The blog has not been active lately, as I haven’t been out in the field due to the semester and classes and such. However, now that the semester is over, I am finally able to give an update of what has been going on, and what some upcoming plans are. First off, in two weeks I will be embarking on a study abroad trip to Costa Rica, where I hope to add approximately 200 species to my life list in just under 11 days. I am currently studying up on identifying features, calls, and other characteristics to help me maximize my identification time while out of country. In the United States however, I am currently attempting to find a way up to Magee Marsh, near Toledo, to take part in the festival currently going on up there, while simultaneously trying to figure out a plan for this upcoming Saturday, which happens to be the second annual Global Big Day. Fingers crossed all goes well!

The most recent trip I did was not actually planned at all, and instead happened out of the blue when just walking through a metro park up in Toledo. No new birds were spotted, however we did get some beautiful looks at an Indigo Bunting and some Goslings. If you would like to see the full list, as always check out it out here.

Happy Birding!

2015 in Review: Looking Forward to 2016

2015 was a big year for me in birdwatching. I hit the 100 species mark in March of 2015, and then ended the year with 193 species on the life list (On 1.5.16 I officially broke the 200 species mark). Being able to not only increase my life list but also my knowledge of birds, hopefully 2015 was a preview of all the blessings that are still to come throughout my birdwatching career! In 2015 I birded in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire, California, and Ohio. Throughout the year I not only met fascinating people, but also hopefully introduced some new people to the beautiful world of birds! It’s amazing how many times you hear “It’s so wonderful to see younger people out birdwatching!” or some variance of this phrase while out meeting people at different birdwatching hotspots.

I’ve had a wonderful time this past year in all of the journeys and adventures I have taken this past year, discovering new natural wonders while forming memories with some amazing friends that will undoubtably last a lifetime. To me, birdwatching isn’t just a hobby, and not only do I spend the whole time solely focused on birds. It’s an excuse to escape into nature, away from society; to submit yourself to the beauty and power of this planet, a planet that needs saving from the harm we are causing it. I see it as my job, as well as the job of birdwatchers everywhere, to tell the story of these creatures and show they are worth saving. I remember watching the documentary Racing Extinction recently, and one line really stuck out to me, when talking about the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow. This line talked about how people show more concern for the bigger creatures of the planet, and not the small ones. Well, all creatures are worth saving, and every one has its own special story.

As 2016 is now a month underway, and with my life list now sitting at 201, I have some highly ambitious plans regarding this next year. If all goes well, I hope to DOUBLE my life list by the end of 2016! DOUBLE! That means break 400 species! While this is still a small amount compared to many birdwatchers throughout the world, and only a fraction of the over 10,000 species that inhabit this planet, it still is a goal I strive to reach. In closing, I want to offer one piece of advice, the same advice I give to everyone the first couple times they go birdwatching. “You can sit for 10 minutes and see just a few, common birds. But in that 11th minute, you could see something fascinating. If you just look a little bit farther, and just a little bit harder, a whole new world will be opened for you.” Here’s to 2016!

Happy Birding!

Welcome to “A Birdwatcher’s Life”

Welcome to “A Birdwatcher’s Life.” My name is Matthew Bell, and I am a member of the Environment and Natural Resources Scholars here at The Ohio State University. I am pursuing a dual degree in Earth Sciences and Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, along with a potential minor in Molecular Genetics. My long term goal is Vertebrate Paleontology and De-Extinction, specifically focusing on the evolution from Dinosaurs to Birds. I am an avid birdwatcher, or birder for short, starting in June 2013, as an alternate final for my Advanced Placement (AP) Biology class. I credit my teacher for showing me this wonderful, flying diversity in our world.

I will update this site after each of my trips into the field, with a summary of that day, and some of the pictures that I took, the rest of which can be found on Flickr, accessible from the right side of the main page. The goal of this site is to help instill in others the love of birds, and to show just how many species can be found in one’s own backyard.

I hope you enjoy, and Happy Birding!

-Matt