A Supremely Bad Idea: Three Mad Birders and Their Quest to See It All

What do you get when three people (two of which could be charitably described as “unique”) who are mad about birds go traipsing across the country trying to see as many as possible? Apparently, you have a supremely bad idea, and yet another entry in the listing/”birding adventures” category of bird books.

Accounts of trips by the author and his two regular companions form the bulk of the book. The locations visited include Southeast Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Washington, Texas, and Colorado. Naturally, the author talks about birds seen and recounts special encounters with them. These trips, taken over the course of several years, are only loosely connected, making this book more similar in spirit to Pete Dunne’s The Feather Quest than any of the various Big Year-type books (where the participants try to see as many birds as possible in a single calendar year) (and yes, The Feather Quest did mostly take place over a single year, but it still wasn’t really a Big Year attempt).

As routine as that sounds, if there is one thing this book is not, it is dull. These birds, including Elegant Trogon, Cerulean and Kirtland’s Warblers could never be boring. Still, a string of “we went to such-a-place and saw this-or-that” would quickly become maddeningly repetitive. To help avoid this, many interesting facts about the birds, biology, conservation, and other topics are liberally sprinkled into the narration. Additionally, these three “mad birders” seem to have more than their fair share of bizarre encounters, including horrible hotels, an infamously obnoxious tour group leader, and an overreacting, car-kicking man-baby. I would love to go into further detail on the more peculiar events, but I wouldn’t be able to do them justice. All of this, along with the birders’ own character quirks (and “quirks” is an understatement), keep the pages of this book rapidly turning.

Adding to the entertainment-factor is the author’s offbeat sense of humor. One of this book’s publicity quotes compares Dempsey to Dave Barry. As a long-time fan of Barry, this raised my expectations, maybe a bit too high. The hilarity quotient wasn’t quite on Barry’s level, but it was still very amusing, even laugh-out-loud funny at times.

Earlier, I categorized this as a listing/”birding adventures” book. The latter is certainly true. The book’s subtitle and initial impression would also lend credence for the listing part as well. But that’s not really the case. True, these birders do want to see as many birds as possible. But it’s out of love for the birds themselves, and not for the sake of a list or competition. The author writes:

The numbers such birders ‘acquire’ can reach astronomical heights, but one wonders if they’re in love with the birds or just the list.

Admittedly, there is a fine line here, and it seems that even the author wavers at times. But this balance between birds and list is one to which I, and I assume most birders, can relate. It is refreshing to read of one birder’s “feather quest”, like Pete Dunne’s before him, which comes down firmly on the side of the birds.

A word of warning: if this were a movie, it would be rated R for language. It is certainly not appropriate for kids and those offended by coarse language should be prepared.

Recommendation

Well-traveled birders will probably have been to most, or even all, of the places visited in this book. There is not much for them to learn here, but revisiting these hotspots through the eyes of our three intrepid birders should still be fun. Personally, I found it interesting to contrast the author’s experiences with my own in the places I’ve birded. For instance, my visit to Salineno, TX was drastically different than the one recounted here. I probably saw more birds, but still had a much less exciting time (for which I am grateful!).

Newer birders will learn much about these places and the birds that inhabit them. But be prepared that this knowledge may leave you restless until you can bird these places yourself!

That just leaves one more group – non-birders. It is actually this demographic that may get the most out of this book. Let’s face it, most of those unexposed to it look upon birdwatching as dull and uncool. Some of the situations in this book may be a bit extreme, but overall it shows what birding is about. And, like the author’s friends who first introduced him to the wonder of birds, this book has the potential to open eyes and smash the preconceptions of pre-birding readers. If you don’t believe me, check out this book’s reviews on Amazon. Two of the first three reviewers described themselves as having absolutely no interest in birding prior to reading A Supremely Bad Idea. But this book provided a spark. It may not flare up into the all-consuming flame that Dempsey obviously has, but that’s ok. Anything in this day and age that encourages people to take an interest in the natural world around them is fantastic, and should be applauded.

But regardless of birding experience, this is a fun read, and the entertainment value alone warrants a recommendation to everyone.