Birds Art Life: A Year of Observation: 01/27/17

Birds Art Life: A Year of Observation by Kyo Maclear is a memoir framed around a year she spent birding with a Toronto musician. Originally I bought the book because I am familiar with Maclear's children's books. Like the musician, I am also an amateur birder and bird photographer.

The memoir and the year of birdwatching was inspired by her father's ill health. Birdwatching became her way of learning how to wait. Her life has always been busy — being taken from place to place as a child, being a parent, working, being creative. But she always has to be doing something. Birdwatching requires just the opposite — great deals of quiet waiting.

While the book isn't what I was expecting it is what I needed. I began the book the same week that I had to face the reality that yes in fact, we will be moving. We will be moving close to where this memoir takes place. My life for the next four to six months will be punctuated with hurry up and wait moments.

But in the end, when the dust has settled — and it will eventually — I will have new birds to watch. I will have new hotspots to learn. I will be back to square one, like I was five years ago when I first started hiking and birding here in the Bay Area.

Five stars

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