Take flight | Group Tour Magazine Blog

Take flight | Group Tour Magazine Blog
MONDAY, JULY 9, 2012

	Photo: Amanda Black This duck doesn't mind one bit when people come to see him, especially when they bring food.

Take flight

A blog explores how birds of a feather — and group tours — flock together


By Amanda Black
It’s one of those rites of passages, something that signals you’re grown up — like purchasing insurance or talking about oil prices. This, however, is much more pleasant.

I’m not sure how I became a birder, but somewhere along the way, I crossed the line from casual admirer to a hobbyist. I dutifully fill the feeder once a week and enjoy the views out my window often. I’ve spent time learning the difference between a grosbeak and a grouse, and I frequent the webpage of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

I’ve spent a lot of time playing Angry Birds, too. Doesn’t that count?

When I was flipping around this weekend, I ran across a showing of The Big Year, a 2011 movie starring Owen Wilson, Jack Black and Steve Martin. It’s a movie about bird watching and the annual contest to see the most bird species in North America — called, natch, The Big Year.

You probably didn’t see the movie, since it was a total flop.

What a shame. It’s not every day they make movies about kind-hearted grown-ups and their hobbies. Usually, they’re painted as nuts or weirdoes. That sure wasn’t the case with The Big Year.

Here's the trailer, which can explain the movie much better than I can. 

	Photo: Amanda Black Birdwatching is a popular activity with group travelers; these ducks like to travel in groups, too.

The movie got this just right: birding is a hobby that’s here to stay. It’s also a hobby that drives a lot of tourism. Survey after survey reports that bird watching is one of the most common hobbies in America, and many of these people go beyond their backyard to find them. It doesn’t take a lot of skill or a lot of equipment to get started. Once you’ve got a field guide and some binoculars, you’re ready to go.

I’ve assembled a group of birding articles we’ve written for Group Tour Magazine lately, which you can find at our Pinterest page: http://pinterest.com/grouptour/birding-articles.

—  This journey takes us from the prairies of Kansas and Manitoba to the bays of Oregon and the flyways of the Rio Grande.

Where does birding take you?

_{Amanda Black has spent the last 10 years with Group Tour Magazine uncovering the best attractions and tours for groups. She lives in Holland, Mich., with a lovely view of a meadow and duck pond. Amanda is big fan of fresh food and TV dramas as well as all things cute.}