I'm glad to bring my past experience working in the field with birds but all that experience in the field brought me close to beautiful and importance species that need help for us to provide habitat, I've realized that I am able to commune with birds better than humans, because birds are a natural part of my life and have been for the past 5-6 years while working with them in areas where only we as field biologists have been fortunate enough to spend time in.
Now, though, I'm learning how I'm not the only one who cares so deeply about each and every bird and it excites me to be able to hear their stories from what they're most often seeing out their window as birds come to their feeders or what we come across on bird walks out to the Delta Ponds. It gives me hope to see how many people who have at much enthusiasm as I've grown to have over the years of a great deal of hands-on work. I enjoy meeting birdwatchers who are both new and advanced birders or novice bird feeders, because they each have grown their own wealth of knowledge which in turn can help teach me a great deal of what's going on here in the Pacific Northwest, a place I haven't had much time in to learn their birds.
Now I'm getting the chance to hear what waves of birds are moving through the Eugene (and greater) area. There's still much to learn, of course, but getting out there, I've had a chance to glean much of the information our area birders are able to give, and many have. It's really been a hoot. ;)