Feather Brained: My Bumbling Quest to Become a Birder and Find a Rare Bird on My Own
by Bob Tarte
From University of Michigan:
For much of his life, the closest Bob Tarte got to a nature walk was the stroll from parking lot to picnic table on family outings. But then a chance sighting of a dazzling rose-breasted grosbeak in wife-to-be Linda’s backyard prompts a fascination with birds, which he had never cared about before in the least. Soon he is obsessed with spotting more and more of them-the rarer the better-and embarks on a bumpy journey to improve his bumbling birding skills. Along the way, Tarte offers readers a droll look at the pleasures and pitfalls he encounters, introduces a colorful cast of fellow birders from across the country, and travels to some of the premier birding sites in the Midwest, including Point Pelee, Magee Marsh, Tawas Point State Park, and even Muskegon Wastewater System. This funny, heartfelt memoir will appeal to birders of all skill levels as well as to anyone who knows and loves a birder.
Birder memoirs such as this are hit or miss. I don’t know which this one is yet, having only read a couple pages so far, but based on the ratings of the author’s previous books I’m hoping for the former.
Feather Brained: My Bumbling Quest to Become a Birder and Find a Rare Bird on My Own
by Bob Tarte
Hardcover; 216 pages
University of Michigan; April 13, 2016
ISBN: 9780472119868
$22.95
Posted by Grant McCreary on May 12th, 2016.
Please let me know how you like the book if you get a chance to read it, Grant. I tried to tell an entertaining story about how and why I fell in love with birds and became a birder. And I wanted to tell the story in such a way that it would be instructive (and fun!) for other would-be birders, who would see one method of learning to bird in the way I approached birding (mainly birding by ear, since my visual memory is so poor). Also, I include contributions from bird experts in nearly every chapter, including two New York Times bestselling authors, who know way, way more about birds and birding than I do. So far, I’m getting really nice feedback from birders and nonbirders alike. Thanks so much for the mention!
Still haven’t had a chance to read any further. But I certainly plan to, it sounds fun. Thanks, Bob!
Thanks so much.