The Backyard Bird Chronicles in Bird Nerd Book Club

Aug 03, 2024 Wanda Pedersen rated it really liked it

Shelves: public-library, non-fiction, read-in-2024, female-authors, biography-memoirs, natural-history, bird-nerdism

My best friend and birding buddy brought this book to my attention. She has rarely steered me astray and this book was no exception. It is exactly what it says on the tin: chronicles of Amy Tan's backyard birds. It is the nature journal of a very obsessed woman.

I admire people who keep nature journals. I have intermittently kept a personal journal but have had only a couple of abortive attempts at a birding journal. I just didn't have enough bandwidth for anything like what Ms. Tan has produced My best friend and birding buddy brought this book to my attention. She has rarely steered me astray and this book was no exception. It is exactly what it says on the tin: chronicles of Amy Tan's backyard birds. It is the nature journal of a very obsessed woman.

I admire people who keep nature journals. I have intermittently kept a personal journal but have had only a couple of abortive attempts at a birding journal. I just didn't have enough bandwidth for anything like what Ms. Tan has produced. My attempts ended up being mere lists of birds seen on a particular day or trip. Tan, being a professional writer, produces a vastly superior product.

I envy Tan's talent for drawing her backyard birds, as well as the backyard that supports her endeavors. California has much different birds and climate than Calgary. Her illustrations are beautiful and she tells us that drawing birds made sure that she really noticed their details. It was a pleasure to see her progress from the beginner state to more experienced birder. We are none of us born knowing these things, so we are familiar with the learning process. Most birders think fondly of those early years and the excitement of each new bird, what Tan calls New Bird Tachycardia.

I was dismayed by her tale of being talked down to by someone that she refers to as a Poobah. We've all run across one—someone who has forgotten what it's like to be an enthusiastic neophyte or who is insecure and needs to feel superior to others. Tan seems to shrug this off and continues her joyous bird studies. There are probably more poobahs out there who would critique her for anthropomorphism and/or for bird feeding (I've observed both). Tan is aware of her tendency to think up stories about the birds' lives, but I found her concern for them to be charming. (She says a couple of times that she's glad she's not a scientist.) She also is finicky about the cleanliness of her feeders and bird baths. If she sees a sick bird, she takes down all the feeders for cleaning until it's safe to reopen the restaurant. She admits to spending extravagantly on feed, especially mealworms. It sounds to me like she is hurting no birds and derives a great deal of pleasure from her hobby. Having spent a fair amount of cash on sunflower seeds myself, I would never criticize.

In short, Ms. Tan makes me wish for a yard where I could study my own local birds in depth every day. It has allowed her to get a feel for behaviour and for the rhythm of the seasons of which I am quite jealous. It is a beautiful book, which I recommend to those who also love their yard birds and/or journaling about their observations. ...more

16 likes · Like · see review

Jun 29, 2025 Jessica Mann rated it really liked it

This is a beautiful book and Amy Tan’s love letter to birds — which I can appreciate, as a fellow lover of birds! She is a very talented artist as well as writer, and the book does a wonderful job of documenting her thoughts and observations. I gave the book 4 stars only because I found it a bit slow at times - perhaps it could have been shortened.

However, the absolute BEST thing about this book is that a famous author like Amy Tan — with her following and platform — would have the bravery to g ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Dec 10, 2024 Deborah rated it it was amazing

I enjoyed this book very much. Amy, tans writing is enjoyable, where she sprinkles and humor and information about the birds. His interesting to feel like I was with her watching her Birds. I am her nature and bird love her, and I learned some new things from her writing and her Diary Chronicles. I have felt this book is an inspiration for getting outside and your own backyard and being in nature and watching the birds and learning from watching them season to season I think for January beginnin ...more

Like · see review

Apr 26, 2025 Meridith Teehan rated it really liked it

Shelves: natural-history

Easy read, journal style. Nice exploration of Backyard Birding though Amy Tans lens and a wonderful example of learning by exploring and nature journaling. Beautiful artwork and relaxing read.

Like · see review