Date: 8/25/25 4:30 pm From: Bruce Barrett via Tweeters <tweeters...> Subject: Re: [Tweeters] Off-topic: Extreme bird watching - a movie
Maybe. Maybe, not.
Although I don't year-list, I am a very focused Lower 48 Life-lister.
I found the movie very entertaining. Sure, there were places where I
interjected "yes, but", and I found the fact that these two were not
actually birders disingenuous. That they over-stressed themselves by
camping in their van for a year may have added to the entertainment value
(if, indeed repeatedly describing one's morning ablutions is
entertaining!),but it took away from their comments on listing.
It's still a fun movie.
My main push-back is the implied assumption that one has to choose just one
of the numerous interests that define a "birder". I am a city boy, brought
up with zero exposure to the countryside. Am I as focused on
conservation as those who have dedicated their lives to it, such as those
who work in museums or spend hours on local issues? Am I as skilled at
identification as tour leaders or those for whom birding is their sole
interest? No, and no. However, although listing (a form of "collecting" -
just like stamp collecting, or <fill in the blank> collecting) is my main
focus, I claim that I'm not bad at identifying birds, and am way more
focused on conservation than Joe Public.
The movie fails to make this point in their effort to laugh at listers.
Maybe I can laugh at anyone who spends a year camping out in a van. Oh -
wait - what did my family do for six weeks and 12,500 miles touring the US
in 1978. Whoops!
On Mon, Aug 25, 2025 at 3:37 PM Deli Kiz via Tweeters <
<tweeters...> wrote:
> It was great!! They got me at "they've been piping sand all day" and had
> me all the way to "I wanna put the watching back into bird-watching." And I
> agree. "That's gold." I just wish they put a bit more time into the
> conservation part of things. They did mention a lot of the problem areas of
> birding and our ability to save and care for birds outside of birding which
> was great. I hope they do their next film mostly about that. While watching
> the killdeers I thought there could easily be a documentary about the grass
> crazy weed angry mowing folk - and this can be their sound track
> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTj9HnIOVsE>by our local Dana Lyons.
>
> For those in this group who are chasing birds for lists, or if you get
> offended easily, or don't appreciate some edgy young humor, this is
> definitely not the movie for you, it will suck. I believe most others will
> enjoy it.
>
> Happy (bird) watching,
> D.
>
>
> On Mon, Aug 25, 2025 at 2:17 PM Rob Faucett via Tweeters <
> <tweeters...> wrote:
>
>> It’s fabulous.
>> —
>> Rob Faucett
>> +1(206) 619-5569
>> <robfaucett...>
>> Seattle, WA 98105
>>
>> > On Aug 25, 2025, at 2:09 PM, Ted Ryan via Tweeters <
>> <tweeters...> wrote:
>> >
>> >
>> > I recently came across this youtube movie:
>> >
>> > LISTERS: A Glimpse Into Extreme Birdwatching
>> >
>> > I thoroughly enjoyed it. It both makes fun of and brings good
>> attention to, birding. Hardcore listers with no sense of humor may not
>> enjoy this. For the rest of you, I think you will.
>> >
>> > Ted Ryan
>> > South Kitsap, WA
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
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