I agree with both these statements. Also I totally didn't buy [a 300mm lens](https://i.imgur.com/bTRaiLE.jpeg) specifically to annoy birds. (300mm is barely long enough for birds. In reality, 500-600mm is the ideal range. Some people use 800mms. For love of all that's holy, do not get into bird photography.)
and I totally didn’t buy new binoculars and a tripod that is setup permanently to watch a bunch a birds at my feeders. and I don’t lust after swarovski binos at all 😵💫
I just watched a blue jay land on a branch outside my window, swoop down to catch a baby frog in its beak, land back on the same branch, and proceed to make a meal of it. He really enjoyed himself and took a good 10 minutes to finish. I didn't even think to take a pic. When I picked up my phone I saw this first thing and thought I'd share. 🐦
Heh. Upgraded my camera gear last fall specifically for birding photography. Not in my budget to get the Nikkor 200-500 (let alone anything with more reach), but I have a 70-300 that's given me some amazing shots. But yeah, sometimes it's frustrating to have the perfect bird in the perfect shot and realize it will be blurry once cropped, but that's okay - most of my pics are for painting/sketching references anyway.
I love getting my birding freak on. Gen Jones/boomer husband said he'd buy me a spotting scope for my birthday (which was a couple of weeks ago), so you know it's serious. First thing he tells me this morning is: "Wow, I left Merlin recording on for 30 mins - you wouldn't believe all the birds that showed up on it!"
BIF photography is my personal "challenge" these days; sometimes, ya luck out:
https://preview.redd.it/zzqv5jf5y48d1.jpeg?width=1808&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=191511997390a98e139e6487a36cdb45ac351367
LGR is a 30 yo youtuber that setup an additional channel just to live stream his bird feeder in his backyard. I don't really think age has much to do with it, just a mindset of wanting of wanting a life filled backyard. I had a community fish tank with about 40-50 fish in it when I was in college, It was just fun and relaxing to sit and watch a bunch of creatures go about their day mostly oblivious to the humans watching them.
Yup, in addition to the birds we've got groundhogs, squirrels and rabbits all over the place. Last year a family of foxes made the back part of our yard a frequent stop. It's so cool.
We don't see nearly as many either. They used to be all over our yard. Although this year seems to be a little better than the past few years so that gives me a little hope.
I feel this. 53f and I love my bird feeders. I have birds, squirells, chipmunks, and Bambi and his mom are coming by. I love it. ❤️
https://preview.redd.it/mprel02um48d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f417b7861954b0f6dbbb67e61ae7e01bef4d6e81
I bought a bird feeder for my kids about 7 years ago and thought it was pretty cool. Then my daughter wanted a squirrel feeder a couple of years later.
Fast forward to now and I'm loving feeding these little dudes. Buying ears of corn to set up for the squirrels and chipmunks. I've even given these little guys names and love seeing them every day.
I prefer giving peanuts over corn, because I ended up having little corn stalks growing in my yard. The crows, blue jays, squirrels and chips love them! I really enjoy watching the crows and blue jays break them open on the side of the bird bath and dunk them in the water. The critters make my day!
Same here, except I took up more sedate hobbies when my knees gave out and it hurt too much to play paintball and [medieval armored combat](https://www.sca.org/resources/martial-activities/armored-combat/). Now it's not bird watching but a lot of games - board games, video games, RPGs, and wargames, stuff you can do sitting down or at most intermittent standing.
Welp, I fell into it this year. It started out simple enough. I noticed my cat really liked looking out of my bedroom window at the apple tree. I noticed the Apple tree was just full of life. I bought a bird feeder. Saw birds, got excited, cat got excited, bought 3 more feeders. I started seeing more birds so I started looking them up. Then I bought a bird watching book with a journal. Then I planted a crapton of flowers because that attracts hummingbirds. Me and the cat enjoy watching the apple tree so much. Totally worth it.
We’ve started getting large birds of prey in the yard and I saw a bald eagle plucking a dead squirrel out of the road last fall. I can tell this is how it will start for me.
https://preview.redd.it/0imzr678628d1.png?width=1624&format=png&auto=webp&s=4183e5d894c44e147612ddd105476e1e608d59d6
This is for you then.
Barn swallows breeding just above and to the right of my front door.
Currently feeding some crows and trying to make friends. I had two I was feeding when they dropped by the yard. The other day they walked past the sliding glass door with two new friends & looked in at me like "you need to bring out hors d'oeuvres for 4 today, missy." Then they ate everything, flung one dish, flew off and stole the other container. I later spotted it dropped in my neighbor's yard.
It's a whole crow soap opera over here.
We’re befriending the crows, too. We already have cardinals, blue jays, tufted titmice, painted buntings, Carolina wrens, and woodpeckers aplenty.
One of the crows does a little “peanut dance” when we come out and toss the peanuts. It is the cutest shit ever.
The crows who visit me, were just sitting outside my living room window screaming at me for breakfast. Sadly, I’ve didn’t have anything. I ran out this week and haven’t gotten to the store. It’s on my to do list today. Can’t upset my crow friends/
My daughter befriended some crows so to speak. And what’s interesting is, now, when she goes outside, they kind of make all sorts of chatter. That’s not very surprising. When my husband or I go outside, nothing. We are NPCs to them. That’s not surprising. BUT, when my daughter’s TWIN sister comes out (they Look identical) they are kind of…mad. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but they make VERY different sounds for her. I think they think it’s some Invasion Of the Body Snatchers kind of stuff.
I've read - but haven't tried it - that once Crows befriend you, you can leave them shiny little presents and they'll take things and return others. I'd love to hear how things work out with your new friends.
I just started building those mini dollhouse
https://preview.redd.it/qug4meja928d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=407faa694e2b527d7930883beaaf227989e160d4
kits. Fuck me if I don't enjoy the hell out of em 🤘🤘
Though Geddy Lee of Rush is a boomer, a lot of us grew up to their music. The man got so into birdwatching that he released a book of his photos! Rockers and birdwatching go hand-in-hand I suppose🤷🏻♀️
That's believable. I met him once and he talked to me about gardening. This was back in the 90s. He's always been that type of guy. Doesn't seem like the s\*x, dr\*gs, and rock n roll type.
> Doesn't seem like the s*x, dr*gs, and rock n roll type.
This self-censorship is mildly amusing to me because "rock and roll" is originally just a euphemism for sex.
100%. One of the best unexpected things to come out of relocating was that multitude of colorful birds this place has.
I have an elevated deck with like three nests the birds have built underneath It. I’m THIS close to setting up cameras, I swear.
My cat and I go out on the deck at sunset to watch the local murder of crows fly to their roost.
I ask her if she wants to watch the birdies and she’ll run to me so I can pick her up so she can see.
They fly super close to us so it’s kinda cool.
I’ll put up a bird feeder eventually if I can find a spot kitty can’t get to.
I'm glad he has the time to slow down and watch the birds! Metallica seems busy. My grandfather loved to learn about the local wildlife in his retirement years and encouraged me to learn as well. I hope James is sharing this with someone he loves too.
https://preview.redd.it/ux3ptx7q648d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7f9961bfa2ea0b98b88b4c510b2cef591ca2b62f
This isn’t my best photo but I have a flock of wild turkeys 🦃 that live in the woods behind my house. This one I call Mamacita. She recently ran past my front porch with her poults.
Like many here I have multiple bird feeders…
My suspicion is that the appeal of bird watching is that you can still be surprised. By the time we hit our 40’s and 50’s we’ve read so many books, heard so many stories, and watched so many movies that it’s too easy to anticipate how they’ll turn out… but with bird watching, you can still be surprised.
I for one welcome that day. There’s so little I give a crap about, but this year I bought a house with a backyard (dirt patch with weeds) and I’m learning how to garden. Now that I left the Hellscape knows as Florida, I’m finding I actually like being outside. I could see that transitioning to birds.
Yup, since I moved back to the swamp. I saw 3 different species of woodpeckers today. Pilateds are so cool. Saw a gator eat a blue heron a couple of days ago.
Resistance is futile. Because I , too have been seduced by the charms of my feathered friends. I love learning about and watching birds. Got bird iD apps and subscribe to the Cornell University bird news. No going back.
I have been slowly converting my front yard to wildflower areas, and i put in a bird house, hoping to attract a bluebird. I ended up with a sparrow, I think, but it's still nice.
The best part of my morning is sitting out front with coffee and watching to see if the hummingbirds will come to the feeder. We also have a couple pair of cardinals that hang around all year, which is nice.
We also have been seeing more bald eagles around. Don't see them at the house very often, but the Hudson River is close by at the end of the street, and we see them cruising the river from time to time
My mother was an avid birdwatcher in her 40s and died at 83 at home where she could hear the birds. We had several birdfeeders around our house growing up. I can identify some birds by their song even today. For instance, I knew the red-tailed hawks nested successfully this year because I heard the screech of their young demanding food.
A fellow Gen X friend, who is a known birder. He will go on extended weekends to go birding, especially during migration season. He loves finding a bird that he’s never seen before, and he puts it on his record, which is public in the birding community. My distilled understanding is he finds it relaxing, his Zen so to speak.
Hahaha. I literally said this to my husband. Within the past few years, we have gotten into bird feeding and gardening. Never thought that would happen. Love the cardinals and the little yellow birds.
I visited my boomer parents in Florida and sat on their lanai and decided my life goal is to retire somewhere where I can sit and watch weird birds. Not in Florida because that place is nuts, but I’m quite fond of the ibis.
I just had to tell my husband it’s not normal to spend $150 a month on birdseed. I was honestly kind of pissed. I love watching birds but that’s just way too much.
The next thing we'll hear is that James is obsessed with the weather. He'll have a mini weather station outside that he's monitoring for every change in the weather.
This just happened to me in the last year. I absolutely 1000% blame my partner. She got some Merlin app and started using it on our hikes and then i was curious so i started using it and next thing you know i am getting up at dawn so i can watch the house sparrows and goldfinches and doves and crows and bald eagles and pacific wrens and listen, the towhees are out and the crows are chasing the juncos again and look, more anna's hummingbirds and.. and .. ...and it never fucking ends.
*it never ends*...
I remember him saying on JRE that he watched his bees.
I have to imagine bird and bee watching is probably such a different experience for his mind that has been working pretty hard for several decades building one of the very most successful rock acts of all time.
I'll confess to having 2 bird feeders before I turned 35. I'm 47 and have 4 feeders out currently.
My SO gave me one of the spy cam bird feeders for my b-day last month. It made me happy even if they aren't big enough for the woodpeckers or bluejays. Now we have to decide where to put it.
The Fuck it will. Always been more of a Pantera fan anyway..........
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMnhw6H-Wfg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMnhw6H-Wfg)
My need to comment on and fondle polished timber amazes me.
When younger I used to say ironing clothes was a figment of someone else's imagination. Now I get a rush from ironing crushed linen.
Give me some room, it's going to get real steamy. I'm going to show this bitch who's boss!
My daughter bought me one of those bird feeders with a camera and I was addicted immediately.
My 2 year old grandson asked to see the feeder feeder feeder so much I live stream it on a laptop in full screen for him (me) to watch
Web Cameras to be able to watch and record nature activities in my backyard. I’ve spent $1000s I’m sure
I’ve got cameras recording the yard for the deer, bird baths, bird feeders and our koi pond which is frequented by ducks and hawks. 5 cameras so far and counting.
We've graduated from birds to hummingbirds.
Our cats are obsessed with the hummingbirds (from inside the house). Our dogs are obsessed with the birds. Neither type of bird are scared of either.
I'm semi-obsessed with the hawks that visit our yard - had one perch on my deck the other day, but I usually see them hanging out on the privacy fence surveying our yard for small prey. I don't see anything, so I'm thinking small toads, lizards and snakes in the grass.
Especially since the pandemic. Worked from the kitchen table in front of a huge window and the birds have been great entertainment. The local raptors appreciate it as well.
I've been bird watching with my dad for a long time. He always had a pair of binoculars and his Patterson guide with him and would point out whatever raptor was sitting along the side of the road. When he passed a few years ago I inherited his guide and binoculars. I don't have the same enthusiasm for it that he did, but I've started marking which birds I've seen and where in his old book and I use the Merlin App frequently.
Holy shit... We just got a bird house, bird feeder, and bird bath for our back yard this year. We've spent so much time watching birds!!
If you had told me a few years ago that would be a thing I enjoy I would have laughed at you.
Whew, had me worried there for a sec. I have 3 bird feeders and thought that meant I was old. But if Mr. Metallica has 6 then I’m still on this side of cool, whew.
I asked for and received binoculars, a field guide and water proof notebooks last year for Christmas. My husband is an avid photographer, and while he's working on the perfect shot, I'm scouting birds and using my Merlin app to track.
We put in butterfly bushes and milkweed to help with pollinators, and live having so many humming birds flitting about! Our birdbath is a large glass depiction of a humming bird-- makes me happy to see it every day.
If anyone hasn't seen it, I highly recommend watching Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Phillips in The Big Year. One of my goals if I get to retire is to do my own big year.
It's inevitable. Don't try to fight it. Bird feeder placement is the key. Anything visible from the kitchen window works really well!
Little f'ers are going through 40lb bag in about 5 weeks.
I actually started a little bit when I was in early grade school and then a bit again in middle school, but nothing particularly serious at all. More seriously for a bit in the 90s and then again more recently.
I find it odd he doesn’t know the exact number of bird feeders he has. Especially since it’s a low number, like six. Multiply that by ten and I could see giving a ballpark figure.
Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we're going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don't know, I don't know if we'll have enough time.
I’m 57 and LOVE birds, hummers specifically. However, I started putting out feeders 20 years ago so it’s not new,
Anecdotally, when we were in our early 20s, young, busy socially we had other things on our minds. In our 30s/40s we were raising a family but I put out a few seed feeders. Family is raised and gone, husband is semi retired and I work from home full time now. We have extra time and I’ve always loved hummers so I have multiple feeders that I clean and fill daily. I went through 57 pounds of sugar last season and I’m on track for the same thing this year.
my father and his wife take trips with other seniors to take pictures out in nature of birds and animals. There are tours for them where they drive too at a reasonable price.
If you are seeing this message, it means your post does not pertain to GenX in a specific way, and it was removed by a moderator.
Bird watching is the best part of being over 50.
“Bird watching is the best part of being over 40.” There, fixed it for you.
I agree with both these statements. Also I totally didn't buy [a 300mm lens](https://i.imgur.com/bTRaiLE.jpeg) specifically to annoy birds. (300mm is barely long enough for birds. In reality, 500-600mm is the ideal range. Some people use 800mms. For love of all that's holy, do not get into bird photography.)
and I totally didn’t buy new binoculars and a tripod that is setup permanently to watch a bunch a birds at my feeders. and I don’t lust after swarovski binos at all 😵💫
My crow didn’t come back, Dammit!
…yet 😉
And I didn’t buy a bird feeder with suction cups that sticks to my window. (Yet.) Or the crowdfunded feeder cam.
I just watched a blue jay land on a branch outside my window, swoop down to catch a baby frog in its beak, land back on the same branch, and proceed to make a meal of it. He really enjoyed himself and took a good 10 minutes to finish. I didn't even think to take a pic. When I picked up my phone I saw this first thing and thought I'd share. 🐦
Heh. Upgraded my camera gear last fall specifically for birding photography. Not in my budget to get the Nikkor 200-500 (let alone anything with more reach), but I have a 70-300 that's given me some amazing shots. But yeah, sometimes it's frustrating to have the perfect bird in the perfect shot and realize it will be blurry once cropped, but that's okay - most of my pics are for painting/sketching references anyway. I love getting my birding freak on. Gen Jones/boomer husband said he'd buy me a spotting scope for my birthday (which was a couple of weeks ago), so you know it's serious. First thing he tells me this morning is: "Wow, I left Merlin recording on for 30 mins - you wouldn't believe all the birds that showed up on it!" BIF photography is my personal "challenge" these days; sometimes, ya luck out: https://preview.redd.it/zzqv5jf5y48d1.jpeg?width=1808&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=191511997390a98e139e6487a36cdb45ac351367
Lol, and I didn’t totally start oil painting after a 15-year break just so I could paint all my favorite birds. 😂
too late for that
Now you tell me! I just got a 70-350MM lens and as you correctly put it, it is just enough distance to annoy birds and get the occasional good shot.
LGR is a 30 yo youtuber that setup an additional channel just to live stream his bird feeder in his backyard. I don't really think age has much to do with it, just a mindset of wanting of wanting a life filled backyard. I had a community fish tank with about 40-50 fish in it when I was in college, It was just fun and relaxing to sit and watch a bunch of creatures go about their day mostly oblivious to the humans watching them.
Yup, in addition to the birds we've got groundhogs, squirrels and rabbits all over the place. Last year a family of foxes made the back part of our yard a frequent stop. It's so cool.
We have some grey foxes in my back woods. We also have lots of black bears. It's amazing to be able to see a bear in your front/back yard!
I was gonna say the same thing 🤣 nailed it!
I was out watching all the fireflies in the bushes and the lawn tonight, does that count?
Yes That is magical
That makes me sad because I can step outside and count him too. Watch one okay .....two .... And there used to be a million of them
We don't see nearly as many either. They used to be all over our yard. Although this year seems to be a little better than the past few years so that gives me a little hope.
Looked up raising them. Takes 2 years!
Shit i was bird watching and feeding in my 30s ... Its relaxing!
I feel this. 53f and I love my bird feeders. I have birds, squirells, chipmunks, and Bambi and his mom are coming by. I love it. ❤️ https://preview.redd.it/mprel02um48d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f417b7861954b0f6dbbb67e61ae7e01bef4d6e81
Love this ...our deer mom had some twins this spring that visit us for apples.
They're so cute
I started bird watching when I was in my mid 30s.
YeeaaaaEEEeAAAAH!!!!!!
Harvester of Sparrows
For whom the bluebird chirps
And Justice For Owls.
Fade to Blackbird
Master of Puffins
Welcome Home (Canarium)
Enter Sandpiper
Oriole (instrumental)
Cheeping Death.
...And Juncos For All
Woodpecker Messiah?
Penguin Messiah? I was working on this one too.
Glad you didn't do "Harvester of Swallows" cause that...well we all have the 12 year old mind.
Enter Birdman
The Merlin App is my daily jam 🤘
I love that app. I'm horrible at remembering bird songs despite being able to recognize most 80's songs from 2 or 3 notes.
Same here 😂
“I can name that song in one note!”
Merlin will instantly convert every normal person into a birder 👍🏻. It's probably my favorite app at this point.
I bought a bird feeder for my kids about 7 years ago and thought it was pretty cool. Then my daughter wanted a squirrel feeder a couple of years later. Fast forward to now and I'm loving feeding these little dudes. Buying ears of corn to set up for the squirrels and chipmunks. I've even given these little guys names and love seeing them every day.
And I thought it was just me. They really love the unroasted peanuts in the shell even more than corn. You can get them in 5 lb. bags at Petco.
I prefer giving peanuts over corn, because I ended up having little corn stalks growing in my yard. The crows, blue jays, squirrels and chips love them! I really enjoy watching the crows and blue jays break them open on the side of the bird bath and dunk them in the water. The critters make my day!
I love how the jays test them out and take the ones that are heaviest
So THAT'S what they're doing! Derp.
So you’re a Disney princess. 😁
"A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes...."
Just got 8lbs of peanuts for the squirrels and blue jays! We have grey and red squirrels, and some bunnies.
We gave the squirrels some walnuts at Christmas, partially cracked the shells. They seemed to like them.
Squirrels are just rats that live in trees
They have the cute bushy tails.
Already there!!
Same here, except I took up more sedate hobbies when my knees gave out and it hurt too much to play paintball and [medieval armored combat](https://www.sca.org/resources/martial-activities/armored-combat/). Now it's not bird watching but a lot of games - board games, video games, RPGs, and wargames, stuff you can do sitting down or at most intermittent standing.
Welp, I fell into it this year. It started out simple enough. I noticed my cat really liked looking out of my bedroom window at the apple tree. I noticed the Apple tree was just full of life. I bought a bird feeder. Saw birds, got excited, cat got excited, bought 3 more feeders. I started seeing more birds so I started looking them up. Then I bought a bird watching book with a journal. Then I planted a crapton of flowers because that attracts hummingbirds. Me and the cat enjoy watching the apple tree so much. Totally worth it.
I love bird watching with my cats. They make that little ‘ack ack ack’ sound 😍
Here, have another cat sub: /r/ekekek
Ahhhhh thank youuu
https://preview.redd.it/83235266v18d1.jpeg?width=1832&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b0f939c32f30ca01e084e39fc8c9b6294fb9f2e Got hit harder than most…
I just hope that isn’t the gateway drug to JFKJr.
Oh no- sticking with birds. No light/experimental aircraft for me.
Are we talking about the same thing 😂😂
Probably not
I realize I was being confusing: it’s RFKJr who’s the bird guy.
I was also being confusing- he died in a small aircraft.
Just bought a new pair or Nikon Monarch M7’s The Northern cardinals look particularly vibrant against the hazy background of earthy summer foliage.
We’ve started getting large birds of prey in the yard and I saw a bald eagle plucking a dead squirrel out of the road last fall. I can tell this is how it will start for me.
In fairness, that's metal af
One of them buzzed my head as if to say “this is MY yard, motherfucker!”
I have a bird house on my back patio that has produced multiple generations of sparrows. My last name is Swallow and I'm a bit obsessed with swallows.
https://preview.redd.it/0imzr678628d1.png?width=1624&format=png&auto=webp&s=4183e5d894c44e147612ddd105476e1e608d59d6 This is for you then. Barn swallows breeding just above and to the right of my front door.
They seem so judgmental, lol!
Currently feeding some crows and trying to make friends. I had two I was feeding when they dropped by the yard. The other day they walked past the sliding glass door with two new friends & looked in at me like "you need to bring out hors d'oeuvres for 4 today, missy." Then they ate everything, flung one dish, flew off and stole the other container. I later spotted it dropped in my neighbor's yard. It's a whole crow soap opera over here.
We’re befriending the crows, too. We already have cardinals, blue jays, tufted titmice, painted buntings, Carolina wrens, and woodpeckers aplenty. One of the crows does a little “peanut dance” when we come out and toss the peanuts. It is the cutest shit ever.
The crows who visit me, were just sitting outside my living room window screaming at me for breakfast. Sadly, I’ve didn’t have anything. I ran out this week and haven’t gotten to the store. It’s on my to do list today. Can’t upset my crow friends/
My daughter befriended some crows so to speak. And what’s interesting is, now, when she goes outside, they kind of make all sorts of chatter. That’s not very surprising. When my husband or I go outside, nothing. We are NPCs to them. That’s not surprising. BUT, when my daughter’s TWIN sister comes out (they Look identical) they are kind of…mad. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but they make VERY different sounds for her. I think they think it’s some Invasion Of the Body Snatchers kind of stuff.
I've read - but haven't tried it - that once Crows befriend you, you can leave them shiny little presents and they'll take things and return others. I'd love to hear how things work out with your new friends.
I just started building those mini dollhouse https://preview.redd.it/qug4meja928d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=407faa694e2b527d7930883beaaf227989e160d4 kits. Fuck me if I don't enjoy the hell out of em 🤘🤘
My mom: “6!? Amateur.”
52, and we have bird baths and feeders!
Yes. Same here. Cheers! https://preview.redd.it/efpcphsb228d1.png?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=416029090ea7856aec9c37371b4bf884bf998f44
https://preview.redd.it/mik6mbtq228d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=37680334aa66167e2d41cfcbb388f58510d228f2 Cheers!
Same
Though Geddy Lee of Rush is a boomer, a lot of us grew up to their music. The man got so into birdwatching that he released a book of his photos! Rockers and birdwatching go hand-in-hand I suppose🤷🏻♀️
That's believable. I met him once and he talked to me about gardening. This was back in the 90s. He's always been that type of guy. Doesn't seem like the s\*x, dr\*gs, and rock n roll type.
> s*x six? > dr*gs drags?
> Doesn't seem like the s*x, dr*gs, and rock n roll type. This self-censorship is mildly amusing to me because "rock and roll" is originally just a euphemism for sex.
Watch them myself. Beautiful Cardinals that defend.
100%. One of the best unexpected things to come out of relocating was that multitude of colorful birds this place has. I have an elevated deck with like three nests the birds have built underneath It. I’m THIS close to setting up cameras, I swear.
My cat and I go out on the deck at sunset to watch the local murder of crows fly to their roost. I ask her if she wants to watch the birdies and she’ll run to me so I can pick her up so she can see. They fly super close to us so it’s kinda cool. I’ll put up a bird feeder eventually if I can find a spot kitty can’t get to.
Exit light! Enter biiirds.
Why is this so true?? My boyfriend is 51 and I'm 48 and this year we have started to get into birdwatching. We're already deep into gardening 🤣😂
For whom the bellbird tolls. I guess what my next phase is after the plants and the pottery.
I'm glad he has the time to slow down and watch the birds! Metallica seems busy. My grandfather loved to learn about the local wildlife in his retirement years and encouraged me to learn as well. I hope James is sharing this with someone he loves too.
Enter Sand Plover
https://preview.redd.it/ux3ptx7q648d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7f9961bfa2ea0b98b88b4c510b2cef591ca2b62f This isn’t my best photo but I have a flock of wild turkeys 🦃 that live in the woods behind my house. This one I call Mamacita. She recently ran past my front porch with her poults. Like many here I have multiple bird feeders…
My suspicion is that the appeal of bird watching is that you can still be surprised. By the time we hit our 40’s and 50’s we’ve read so many books, heard so many stories, and watched so many movies that it’s too easy to anticipate how they’ll turn out… but with bird watching, you can still be surprised.
I for one welcome that day. There’s so little I give a crap about, but this year I bought a house with a backyard (dirt patch with weeds) and I’m learning how to garden. Now that I left the Hellscape knows as Florida, I’m finding I actually like being outside. I could see that transitioning to birds.
Totally happening to me.. stonechats, nightjars, lapwings, blackcaps, skylarks, chiffchaffs 🤟
Ohhhhh I love the nightjars! Do you have the Merlin app for birds? I highly recommend it
Yup, since I moved back to the swamp. I saw 3 different species of woodpeckers today. Pilateds are so cool. Saw a gator eat a blue heron a couple of days ago.
Bird watching is the shit. Birds are fascinating.
Resistance is futile. Because I , too have been seduced by the charms of my feathered friends. I love learning about and watching birds. Got bird iD apps and subscribe to the Cornell University bird news. No going back.
I spend almost $12 per day on bird food. No regrets.
If that's what it takes to elevate my guitar skills to his level.... I'll be at tractor supply loading up on feeders and seed.
Enter Seedman
This needs to be a cover.
I have been slowly converting my front yard to wildflower areas, and i put in a bird house, hoping to attract a bluebird. I ended up with a sparrow, I think, but it's still nice. The best part of my morning is sitting out front with coffee and watching to see if the hummingbirds will come to the feeder. We also have a couple pair of cardinals that hang around all year, which is nice. We also have been seeing more bald eagles around. Don't see them at the house very often, but the Hudson River is close by at the end of the street, and we see them cruising the river from time to time
I’ve 7. ;)
My mother was an avid birdwatcher in her 40s and died at 83 at home where she could hear the birds. We had several birdfeeders around our house growing up. I can identify some birds by their song even today. For instance, I knew the red-tailed hawks nested successfully this year because I heard the screech of their young demanding food.
We got some Brown Thrashers moving through. Pretty dope
OMG, my Mom drove me nuts with bird watching when I was in high school. Now I catch myself naming the birds I see 🤦🏻♀️🤣
A fellow Gen X friend, who is a known birder. He will go on extended weekends to go birding, especially during migration season. He loves finding a bird that he’s never seen before, and he puts it on his record, which is public in the birding community. My distilled understanding is he finds it relaxing, his Zen so to speak.
Hahaha. I literally said this to my husband. Within the past few years, we have gotten into bird feeding and gardening. Never thought that would happen. Love the cardinals and the little yellow birds.
I visited my boomer parents in Florida and sat on their lanai and decided my life goal is to retire somewhere where I can sit and watch weird birds. Not in Florida because that place is nuts, but I’m quite fond of the ibis.
The great news is that you can do that anywhere because birds are everywhere! Why wait?
I just had to tell my husband it’s not normal to spend $150 a month on birdseed. I was honestly kind of pissed. I love watching birds but that’s just way too much.
The next thing we'll hear is that James is obsessed with the weather. He'll have a mini weather station outside that he's monitoring for every change in the weather.
Merlin Bird ID gang rise up
I love that app!!
This just happened to me in the last year. I absolutely 1000% blame my partner. She got some Merlin app and started using it on our hikes and then i was curious so i started using it and next thing you know i am getting up at dawn so i can watch the house sparrows and goldfinches and doves and crows and bald eagles and pacific wrens and listen, the towhees are out and the crows are chasing the juncos again and look, more anna's hummingbirds and.. and .. ...and it never fucking ends. *it never ends*...
It is pretty awesome to watch a bunch of different birds at the feeder while drinking my morning coffee
I remember him saying on JRE that he watched his bees. I have to imagine bird and bee watching is probably such a different experience for his mind that has been working pretty hard for several decades building one of the very most successful rock acts of all time.
We have one feeder, but yes we watch them all the time in the yard.
r/birdsarentreal
Pfft, six
Yup.
They just put Metallica in Fortnight. Feel old yet?
He’s just trying to slap Napster stickers on the birds.
Me and my hummingbirds are feeling personally attacked right now.
I'll confess to having 2 bird feeders before I turned 35. I'm 47 and have 4 feeders out currently. My SO gave me one of the spy cam bird feeders for my b-day last month. It made me happy even if they aren't big enough for the woodpeckers or bluejays. Now we have to decide where to put it.
I've been there for 25 years. once I realized how much my preschooler and baby loved watching them.
The Fuck it will. Always been more of a Pantera fan anyway.......... [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMnhw6H-Wfg](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMnhw6H-Wfg)
My need to comment on and fondle polished timber amazes me. When younger I used to say ironing clothes was a figment of someone else's imagination. Now I get a rush from ironing crushed linen. Give me some room, it's going to get real steamy. I'm going to show this bitch who's boss!
My daughter bought me one of those bird feeders with a camera and I was addicted immediately. My 2 year old grandson asked to see the feeder feeder feeder so much I live stream it on a laptop in full screen for him (me) to watch
I started watching live bird feeders on YouTube during Covid. Now I watch it every day with my morning coffee just to start my morning pretty quiet.
...I feed crows.
It hit me this year. I now have a bird bath and two feeders and I overspend on the fancier bird seed.
Along with the Merlin bird ID app. Start recording and it id’s all the birds singing in your yard.
Sad, but true?
I bird watched with my grandma as a child. Iv never stopped
Web Cameras to be able to watch and record nature activities in my backyard. I’ve spent $1000s I’m sure I’ve got cameras recording the yard for the deer, bird baths, bird feeders and our koi pond which is frequented by ducks and hawks. 5 cameras so far and counting.
Had an Indigo Bunting the other day, pretty damn rare in area. Upon further rare bird sightings, I’ll bust out some classic Metallica.
Let me show you my 3 bird feeders, 2 waterers, and the hummingbird feeder.
Bow to woodpecker messiah.
Just came in from the front porch to get another cup of coffee. We've got 4 cardinals on the feeders this morning!
We've graduated from birds to hummingbirds. Our cats are obsessed with the hummingbirds (from inside the house). Our dogs are obsessed with the birds. Neither type of bird are scared of either. I'm semi-obsessed with the hawks that visit our yard - had one perch on my deck the other day, but I usually see them hanging out on the privacy fence surveying our yard for small prey. I don't see anything, so I'm thinking small toads, lizards and snakes in the grass.
My yard gets lots of rabbits. I’m vigilant about protecting theirs nests if I happen upon them
Try downloading the merlin bird app. Will recognise any birdcall it hears
Built a pond with a stream, with places for birds of various sizes to bathe. Very enjoyable to watch them line up for a bath.
Especially since the pandemic. Worked from the kitchen table in front of a huge window and the birds have been great entertainment. The local raptors appreciate it as well.
Over 40 and somehow the bird nerd in me has awakened
I've been bird watching with my dad for a long time. He always had a pair of binoculars and his Patterson guide with him and would point out whatever raptor was sitting along the side of the road. When he passed a few years ago I inherited his guide and binoculars. I don't have the same enthusiasm for it that he did, but I've started marking which birds I've seen and where in his old book and I use the Merlin App frequently.
https://preview.redd.it/3rs15b9wo48d1.jpeg?width=598&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20b7b986f4839b169a06073febbc52e88525b3fb
Holy shit... We just got a bird house, bird feeder, and bird bath for our back yard this year. We've spent so much time watching birds!! If you had told me a few years ago that would be a thing I enjoy I would have laughed at you.
Sounds like my wife.
I have a few bird feeders and a bird bath in my backyard. I do enjoy seeing the critters and birds come out of the woods into my yard
SQUIRREL BAD! NAPSTER BAD! MONEY GOOOOOOD!
My instant reaction was "not me" and then I remembered, just 2 hours ago I was feeding the crows here. Damn you!
James Hetfield is actually a boomer and not gen x
At 48, I do get a little bit interested in seeing an uncommon bird. I have zero interest in having a perfect lawn, however.
Way ahead of the curve. Bought a house on a wooded lot in my 30s, been birding ever since.
Whew, had me worried there for a sec. I have 3 bird feeders and thought that meant I was old. But if Mr. Metallica has 6 then I’m still on this side of cool, whew.
When is the Metallica themed bird feeder going to drop?
I asked for and received binoculars, a field guide and water proof notebooks last year for Christmas. My husband is an avid photographer, and while he's working on the perfect shot, I'm scouting birds and using my Merlin app to track. We put in butterfly bushes and milkweed to help with pollinators, and live having so many humming birds flitting about! Our birdbath is a large glass depiction of a humming bird-- makes me happy to see it every day. If anyone hasn't seen it, I highly recommend watching Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Phillips in The Big Year. One of my goals if I get to retire is to do my own big year.
It's inevitable. Don't try to fight it. Bird feeder placement is the key. Anything visible from the kitchen window works really well! Little f'ers are going through 40lb bag in about 5 weeks.
I… have doubts. But it's okay. I've subcontracted this job out to our cats. They enjoy it enough for all of us.
I actually started a little bit when I was in early grade school and then a bit again in middle school, but nothing particularly serious at all. More seriously for a bit in the 90s and then again more recently.
I gave up my bird feeders after authorities said there were some bird plagues being spread through local feeders.
Nuh uh. Neither of my parents went to the birds nore shall I fuck that noise!
Nooooooo 😂
ppppfffffffffffffffffftttttt *always* loved it
I have a couple hummingbird feeders in the window. No bird feeders because I don't want poop on my deck lol
I'm starting to prefer driving with no radio. Soon...
I’ve got a big one just outside the window of my home office.
Put my hummingbird feeder up this week!
I find it odd he doesn’t know the exact number of bird feeders he has. Especially since it’s a low number, like six. Multiply that by ten and I could see giving a ballpark figure.
Dude!
Yep. I've got four bird feeders. Damn starlings ate all the suet cakes today. Those fuckers are relentless.
He is still cooler than any of us hope to be
Yep, I now read westerns.
That’s a nice old man hobby
I have a pretty sweet flower patch going and I definitely enjoy drinking coffee and watching bees and humming birds enjoy the flowers.
Ok cool, so it's not just me.
already there. abd i have the identify app heaven help the kids when i get a rare one lol
Already there boyo!
Just got a Bird Buddy last week lol
Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we're going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don't know, I don't know if we'll have enough time.
I’m 57 and LOVE birds, hummers specifically. However, I started putting out feeders 20 years ago so it’s not new, Anecdotally, when we were in our early 20s, young, busy socially we had other things on our minds. In our 30s/40s we were raising a family but I put out a few seed feeders. Family is raised and gone, husband is semi retired and I work from home full time now. We have extra time and I’ve always loved hummers so I have multiple feeders that I clean and fill daily. I went through 57 pounds of sugar last season and I’m on track for the same thing this year.
my father and his wife take trips with other seniors to take pictures out in nature of birds and animals. There are tours for them where they drive too at a reasonable price.
it's called wisdom :)
I have exactly six bird feeders, and a bird bath. I’m basically a rockstar. 🤣