Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder is a great book by author Julia Zarankin.
When Julia Zarankin saw her first red-winged blackbird at the age of 35, she didn’t expect it to change her life. She got divorced and tried her hand at hobbies during a stressful career transition. She happened to be watching birds, initially curious about the strange humanoid who wore a vest with many pockets, carried a scope, and discussed the finer points of optics with unsettling enthusiasm.
Field Notes from a Unity Birder follows the introduction of a storyteller who learns more from birds than she anticipated, finding new meaning in the middle world. Coming from a family of Russian immigrant concert pianists who believe that the outdoors is for “others”. She recounts the challenges and joys of suddenly discovering one’s wild side and finding one’s tribe in the most difficult of places. Not only did she proudly recognize herself as a student, but she also led her to find love, discover a new language, and stay rooted. That journey helps light up the exciting experience of discovery and provides insight into what it takes to find one’s place in the world.
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Field Notes from an Unintentional Birder
- A Memoir
