Friday Music and Surprising Birders

I find it interesting to figure out if famous or semi-famous people are birders.  Sure, there is a Wikipedia page about this (filled with mostly biologist types), but I like to try to find them in the wild through field marks. For example, my favorite baseball writer is Rob Neyer and I've read his work for 17 years now (dammit, that can't be right...yet it is!). I've read all (but one!) of his books, including the ill-fated Feeding the Green Monster. Hell, I have that book in actual physical copy!

Sure, you can get it now in paperback, but it was difficult when it first came out.

In that book Rob talks a little about birds and birding in such a way that you know he is an actual birder (he even says some nice things about Starlings). Maybe one day I'll interview him for this blog about that and go birding with him (he does live in Oregon, though in the civilized part and not the part that Paul is from).

Other places you can find hints of birders is in song lyrics. Sure, there are plenty of songs talking about Mockingbirds or sparrows, but every now and then you'll hear something that alludes to actual birding.

Now, I am a big fan of the Avett Brothers. Their last album was a huge disappointment, but the one before that was good (though not great like their previous three) and it even hinted at birding! Ok, it isn't Seth who is the birder, but instead it is the girl he is singing about. Watch!

"She knows which birds are singing and the names of the trees where they're performing." Not only is she a birder, but she is pretty good at identifying by ear, and she knows the trees too (she probably has to wait for them to leaf out though). Maybe one day while I am out birding I'll run into them and we'll hang!

Anyway, you can feel the love in that song, so nice. As a postscript, while doing research for this post I stumbled across this announcement on the Avett Brothers web page.  Drag, I won't be hanging out birding with them.