As a neat little side job, I get to write columns for natuurfotografie.nl, the hub for Dutchies to learn about nature and photography. I plan to include short replicas of the columns here, in English, to share them with non-Dutch speakers.

My most recent column is titled “The hype”. Because it feels like that’s exactly what birding (and to a lesser extent, bird photography) has become. Pocket binoculars (‘bins’) turn up more frequently, frustrations over missing a bird on year-lists are being shared all over, and the app ‘Merlin’ is used whenever passerby’s hear the slightest tick. (A quick warning: Merlin is a helpful tool, but by no means faultless. Please try not to rely on it 😉).

This increased attention has had two profoundly different impacts on me. On the one hand, I like that I can share my hobby with more and more people. Park-goers seem more interested in me than ever before, and more and more eyes light up when I share my most recent not-all-too-common sightings.

On the other hand, there is the risk of disturbance, and, to a lesser extent, the unfortunate possibility of treating birds like ‘checks’ instead of exciting experiences. Especially in an area as small as the Netherlands, we cannot afford to be careless about nature and go everywhere in chase of that rare ‘plus one’ or spectacular, but unethical, photo.

More experienced folks, as well as institutions, should give the proper example by sharing love and appreciation and ethical guidelines, and preferably not brag about their 400th lifer or their technically genius photographs.