"Birders: The Central Park Effect" on HBO

[Foothill Fotog]

A leader in my local bird group email alerted us today of this show playing tonight on HBO. I set the DirecTV DVR to record it then forgot about it. As I was channel hopping awhile ago I dropped in on it as it was showing. I'm a multi-tasker you might say with one and a half eyes on the computer and a halfa one on the TV.

Anyway after watching only part of the one hour show I've come here to recommend it. If you have the capability to get HBO and the chance to see or record it DO IT! If you're a birder, especially an old fart birder, I'm pretty darn sure you'll enjoy it.

I used the "view upcoming" feature on my Direct DVR to find it will be re-played many more times, maybe 15 or more, before the end of the month.

Now ... I'm gonna go back and watch it from the beginning! High Definition TV's and DVRs are WONDERFUL! And so is some of the programming ... GO ... "Girls Gone Wild" and now "Birders: The Central Park Effect"

Mark

[gilfish]

I have it on my DVR but have not watched it yet. Thanks for the heads up.

[_Provo_]

Thanks Mark will check it out

[UgashikBob]

Watched it last night. Quite an island of nature in a sea of humanity.

[Foothill Fotog]

I'd love to have a dog, but I can't. Couldn't give it the getting out & about exercise it'd need. Instead (sort of) I've got the hummers. Much goodness comes from pet ownership as it provides a direction for caring energy. Feeling valued is important for a single old guy like me. Feeding the mob of hungry hummers is not just to have 'em around for picture taking. Not a reward of sloppy licks but in the giving of a sugar charge that keeps 'em frisky and coming back for more.

A lot I liked about the Central Park show is how folks told why birding was important to them.

Prior to learning about the Central Park show I was cruising the channel guide and came across a movie called "The Big Year." The info paragraph said it was a comedy staring Jack Black and Owen Wilson, both I like, and Steve Martin who depending on the roll I sometimes don't. But, he's OK with me in this flick. Also said it was about three guys racing to see how many birds they could spot in a year. A birders contest! So I set to recorded it too.

And, it turned out to be a worthwhile watch. Not a chuckle buster by any means, but there were some smiles, some good bird footage, and some interesting insight on hard core birders' quest to log as many different species in a single year. It's also listed to be re-run a number of times on HBO thru the month. I think it was worth a hour and forty minutes of my time ... I give it two thumbs up!

Mark

[gilfish]

Birders at the end of the show indicate a 40% decline in bird numbers since the 50s. I wonder if our grandchildren will get to see the many species that we enjoy.

Many of the areas I go birding are quite like "central park" maybe not completely man made but little snippets of woods in between HUGE farming or urban areas. I wonder what future the birds have as we tear down more and more trees and put up things like wind farms and asphalt.


I certainly identified with many of the characters in the Central Park film. What better feeling is there than being out there and listening to them sing?