Saturday, July 3, 2021

Lost Among the Birds by Neil Hayward

 "Nutting's Flycatchers can be elusive, hiding in dense foliage and waiting for insects to fly by before darting out in pursuit. I waited patiently as the calls got louder and closer. Wheep! Wheep! I was using my ears to triangulate the call, while my eyes were poised for any movement...And that's when it popped out, a brown missile flying to the edge of the road. It sat there on a bare mesquite branch, tilting its head, surveying me as if it had never seen a Neil Hayward before and needed one for its life list."

When 2013 begins, Neil Hayward finds himself at a crossroads in his life. Having quit his job in 2012, he still has no idea what he wants to do next. He's turning 40 at the end of the year. He's in a new relationship that's going a little too fast, but that he doesn't want to end. He's struggling with depression. And he fears that the best parts of his life are in the past.

To escape, he goes birding. Because birding is the one thing that always brings him peace and makes him feel better. At first, it's just for one trip to Arizona. Then he goes to Texas. And Florida. And Alaska. Then, without really planning it, he finds himself in the middle of doing a Big Year...and on track to join that elusive club of birders who manage to see over 700 different species of birds in just one year. In the end, he sets a new birding record: 749.
"It's difficult for non-birders to understand the rush of adrenaline and love that you feel when you see a bird you've dreamed about. It's like planning a trip to India. No amount of poring over the guidebooks can quite prepare you for the moment when you walk through the large brass doors in the Southern gateway and behold the bone-white marble of the Taj Mahal...That serenity and sense of timelessness is what seeing a Connecticut Warbler feels like to me."
 I loved this book! Probably because I love birding, too. I am nowhere on the same level as Neil Hayward, but I do know the wonder and joy of seeing a new bird for the first time. This book was such an enjoyable read. Hayward's well-written narrative is conversational, insightful, and humorous. And it's not just about the birds and his travels across America; he also deals with his depression and his relationship with his girlfriend. I found it to be both honest and heartwarming. For me, this was a 5-star read.

Happy Reading!


Other excellent birding books:
The Big Year by Mark Obmascik
Red Tails in Love by Marie Winn

36 comments:

  1. I have a passing interest in birds too so I'm off to look into this one as it sounds like fun!

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    1. And it's very well-written. Hayward is such a great storyteller. I really enjoyed it. :)

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  2. I'm a backyard birder and don't travel to find a new bird, but when a new bird visits, I'm thrilled. So glad this one was such a hit for you!

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    1. It turned out to be a fun read. Though what he does sometimes to see a bird made me shake my head. :D

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  3. This looks charming! One of my aunts loves bird-watching too, always has her binoculars with her when we go travelling. I never manage to find any through the foliage, but she always spots it. :D Thanks for the rec, I'm going to pass this on to her.

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  4. This sounds lovely. I enjoy watching birds too. We have a family of crows that hangs out in our front yard. Love them, though the little birds around do not!

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    1. Crows can be noisy, and they can certainly chase away other birds, but they are fun to watch. I really like them.

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  5. I've read a few books about "big years" and I'm always amazed at the dedication these birders show. Finding all those birds is not an easy thing. I speak as one who sometimes has difficulty finding a bird in my own neighborhood!

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    1. It isn't easy! Taking off on the spur of the moment hoping to catch sight of a rare bird across the country? I don't have that kind of birding dedication. But I love seeing the birds that live around me.

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  6. I don't see many kinds of birds around here but I get excited when I do see a new kind of bird. This sounds like a good book.

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  7. I love bird watching, but I'm not a birder in any sense of the word. I'd like to be more serious, and I'm always on the lookout for interesting birds, but I don't know about it to know if I'm seeing a rare bird or not. If you're depressed having an interest like this can make all the difference in life. Sounds like a great read, Lark! :)

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    1. I got caught up in Neil's story; he's so personable and funny. And any bird I don't readily see in my own neighborhood feels like a rare bird to me. ;D

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  8. I love watching the birds around here. It's mostly doves, sparrows, and grackles, but we do get a few different ones on occasion which is always exciting. :)

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    1. I understand Texas is a great place to see lots of different kinds of birds because so many migrating birds pass through Texas every spring. So keep your eyes open. You never know what amazing bird you might see in your own backyard. :)

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  9. Neil's story sounds inspirational and fun. I may not be a birdwatcher, but I am still interested in traveling alongside him--even if through the book. :-) Thank you for sharing!

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    1. And he really does a lot of traveling in this book...from Alaska to Florida with many stops in between. :)

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  10. This sounds absolutely wonderful! I love it when people are passionate about an interest.

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    1. And he's definitely passionate about birding. But I liked how he overcame some other personal things to become more passionate about his life, too.

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  11. I never thought I'd say it when I began reading your review of this one...but it sounds like a fun and interesting read.

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    1. :D Then I guess I did my job! (But it really is a good read.)

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  12. Thanks for bringing this fellow birder's attention to this book!

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  13. This sounds like such a fun read. Glad it was a hit for you. :)

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    1. I love when a book surpasses your expectations. :)

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  14. I am not a birder but like this guy I found myself unexpectedly interested during the pandemic and put up a birdfeeder to distract myself from the endless days working remotely.

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    1. Birds are fun to watch when you're stuck at home. I have a few backyard birdfeeders, too. :)

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  15. I enjoy birds more and more as I get older. I'm not sure I qualify as a birder but i love the idea. We've been putting out different bird feeders and I've really enjoyed seeing the variety of birds that come through here now. :)

    Glad this was an excellent read!

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    1. If you have bird feeders and you love watching birds...you're a birder! Welcome to the club. :D

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  16. I just heard that our city is trying to get designated a Bird City and that is so cool. I didn't realize that was a thing but it's so cool. I don't know anything about birds but this book really sounds good to me. It'd probably make me want to go get some binoculars and learn! Great review!

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    1. I didn't know cities could get designated as a Bird City either. Huh. I wonder what the criteria is for that.

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  17. Sounds fabulous and maybe a good introduction for us non-birders.

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    1. This book is very readable and entertaining even if you're not really into birding.

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  18. This sounds like a great read! I may not be a birds enthusiast but I do enjoy watching them, especially those very colourful ones. :)

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    1. I bet you get some pretty birds in Singapore!

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