Book Review – 'The Backyard Bird Chronicles'

George Walter

Photo by Jill Severn

You perhaps know of the Chinese American writer, Amy Tan, who has written several books about the immigrant experience, family dynamics and culture. Her best-known book is The Joy Luck Club (1989). This book is entirely different from all her other writings.

In 2016, at age 64, Tan was feeling unproductive and in need of a change. She signed up for a nature/bird study class that included drawing from nature. She had an early interest, and talent, for drawing but that had been set aside for many decades. Now she arranged to renew that interest and recover her passion for observing and writing. This book, The Backyard Bird Chronicles, is the result, indirectly, of that recovery process.

Tan and her husband live in Sausalito, in the San Francisco Bay area. Thus, many of the birds that frequent her backyard are the same ones that we have here in Thurston County. However, sharing accounts of familiar birds is not the reason I wanted to share this book with you.

Rather, it is Tan’s documentation of her approach to first observing and then learning from her avian visitors that I think would be of greatest interest. Since I began this column for The JOLT, many readers have shared their curiosity about birds and their desire to understand more about “their birds.” Well, here is a model that you might find useful.

The author’s account starts slowly, just as your effort might. First, there’s a hummingbird feeder, then a seed feeder, and then, as demand grows, more of each. She describes difficulties that she encountered (squirrels, for example) and how she overcame them, including designing her own variations of feeder designs.

The central suggestion, in fact, the overall organization for the book, is to keep a journal of your observations and growing knowledge. Her first effort was modest but little by little, as a reader progresses through the book, we see how Tan’s powers of observation expand. She seeks to identify and understand birds as individuals and presumes that they see her the same way.

Tan’s mentor for this effort was well-known naturalist John Muir Laws, author of The Laws Guide to Nature Drawing and Journaling. She signed up for drawing and nature journaling classes from the author himself. (I’m thinking that there are certain advantages to living in the Bay area).

The beginning of Tan’s bird journaling is described in detail in her book’s preface. Please do not skip reading these pages – because this is where Tan’s writing talent shines brightest.

Starting with this preface, Tan takes us along on her journey from beginning journaling and drawing in 2017 through the COVID isolation years and onto a yard visit from a Great-horned Owl in December 2022. As her chronicle proceeds, she also encourages each of us not to be discouraged by the first weeks, months, or years. Rather, keep watching, wondering, and documenting what’s happening with “your” birds.

Unfortunately, one factor that might hinder some folks from acquiring this book is its price - $39.95. And this is not really a book you want to borrow from the library. Instead, it should be enjoyed little by little over time and then returned to at a later date.

But if price is not a major concern, I can recommend this book for anyone seeking to develop their personal powers of observation and documentation. It is filled with valuable suggestions and, by inference, valuable encouragement as well.

Bluebird Box Trail – I recently learned that the current monitor of a bluebird box trail in south central Thurston County is looking for someone to take over. This trail was started many years ago by Jack Davis, the long-time local conservationist who got me started on the Fort Lewis bluebird box project. The work primarily involves cleaning boxes as needed and documenting nesting success. If interested, contact me for more details and a referral to the current monitor.

George Walter is environmental program manager at the Nisqually Indian Tribe’s natural resources department: he also has a 40+ year interest in bird watching. He may be reached at george@theJOLTnews.com