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Welcome everyone to intoBirds!

My name is Renee, and I’m excited to serve as editor-in-chief of what I hope will become a fabulous online magazine, bird watcher’s community, resource for all things birds and a hangout for peeps into birds.

You’re probably wondering how did I get so into birds?

I used to be an avid hiker, and I paid so much attention to what was around me at ground level and never realized there was a whole world happening above my head. Then I realized what I had missed, and I became interested in birds.

I became so interested in birds, and now it’s become a passion for me to seek exciting stories to share with those of us who are into birds. And as a standup comedian, I’ve even managed to work birds into my comedy bits that I’d like to share with fans someday here on intoBirds.

Male Dickcissel at the Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge in Wallkill, NY

Now I don’t consider myself a birder. I’m a bird watcher. I’m a bird enthusiast. I don’t chase after birds the way a tried and true birder does in search of that ‘life bird.’ But I do hunt for stories about birds. And that doesn’t mean just stories about bird species.

IntoBirds will profile birds, people, places, things and advocacy groups all aligned with birds. Or what I call the celebration of ‘bird culture.’

I see birds as things of beauty, form, and function. To me, birds are quite simply artwork with wings.

Bird watching teaches us to pay close attention to the tiniest details. We search for that hard-to-find stripe, marking or splash to identify a bird.

I like to say bird identification can be more challenging than playing golf.

By taking the time to watch a bird’s behavior, we notice new things about a bird we’ve observed hundreds of times. It gives us insight into nature and the need for more open space, gets us outside and unplugged from technology to live life at the moment.

So grab a birding book or birding app, a pair of binoculars, find an open space, bring an open mind and get outside and enjoy birds.

You will soon be finding birds that you never realized were there.

And when you look at birds, remember anything can turn up anywhere at any time.

Bird watching is exhilarating, challenging, saddening, maddening, and addictive. There’s potential for adventure at every moment as the search for birds becomes never-ending.

Once you’ve become a bird watcher your friend, spouse, significant others will be shouting at you to watch the road as you scan power lines for birds while driving. When you visit your family, they’ll be baffled why you’re renting a car and heading out to some desolate location before dawn.

Please tag us and share your photos of anything related to birds with us on our social media sites, and we’ll happily share them on our channels and potentially feature you on our ‘Getting Social’ page of intoBirds.

I’m proud to welcome you to intoBirds.

Now get out and see birds.

Renee