Birding has an interesting paradox. It is an avocation that encourages us to seek one another’s company. When out birding our local areas, we greet each other with enthusiasm, eager to share our avian highlights of the day. We relate like the old friends that many of us are. The obvious affection birders show to each other points to our shared enjoyment of and values related to the natural world. Simply connecting with another birder in the field, be it someone you have known for decades or someone you are meeting for the first time, sparks an immediate connection and thread of commonality.
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