Twenty years of blogging! To keep going, or not ... that is the question.
Two decades ago, when I started this blog, my birding style was different. My focus, my companions, my approach to the field—it's all shifted, sometimes gradually, sometimes abruptly. Back then, I might have chased lifers more, relied more on photography, or shared the experience with different people. Some birding friendships have lasted, others have faded, and new ones have emerged.
In digiscoping news—well, old news—I recently discovered that Ann Cook of Birds of Manitoba passed away in 2023. While browsing the Wayback Machine for old versions of my blog and website for this post, I came across a link list of digiscoping pages, including hers. Curious, I explored archived versions of her website and tried to find any recent updates from her on the web. Turns out, there was nothing online since 2018 on a birding forum—until I came across her obituary.
Ann was one of the early pioneers of digiscoping, alongside Laurence Poh, Yves Leduc, and Alain Fossé. Her work inspired me to give it a try myself. My first digital camera was a Nikon Coolpix 995, which I still have—though I'm not sure if I have any batteries or a charger for it. For a spotting scope, I used a Swarovski AT80 HD, which I later sold to a birder friend years ago.
Here's the first blogger blog post:
And a snapshot of my very archaic .HTML digiscoping page, which predated my blog:
I think I put this online around 2001 or 2002, just a few years after I went to work for Eagle Optics. I wanted a webpage like Ann's, so that's really a big reason why mine got going in the first place. In terms of sharing sightings, I put up an .HTML birding journal before I discovered blogger.com.
Putting oneself out there, I've had my share of critics along the way, people who didn't quite understand my approach or vision. While their feedback wasn't always easy to hear, it helped shape my perspective and strengthened my resolve. I've also encountered a few individuals whose actions went beyond simple criticism, sometimes challenging me in ways that felt personal or unfair. While their behavior was discouraging at times, it ultimately pushed me to stand stronger in my convictions and focus more on what truly matters.
There was a substantial blogging hiatus—there were no posts here from December 2018 to June 2020. When I returned to blogging, I turned off comments and removed all contact information. I once read that allowing comments on a blog is like letting readers write in the margins of a book, directly addressing the author. While I see the appeal of interaction, it somehow misses the point of blogging for me. I prefer to keep this space for sharing thoughts and ideas without it becoming a forum for unsolicited critiques or distractions.
When it comes to the future of this blog, I can envision just about anything—maybe even another long break. There could be fewer posts at times, or perhaps more, depending on where the inspiration takes me. The direction isn't set in stone, but that's part of the journey.
One thing is certain: there are fewer birds today than there were twenty years ago, and efforts to conserve them and their habitats has never seemed like a priority, regardless of which political party is in control. Just like the old-timers used to tell me—stories of warblers literally dripping from the trees. I've seen it, but those experiences are far less frequent these days.
All images © 2025 Mike McDowell