Feathered Friends

Where the wild Birds are

Whether you’re living in a subdivision, the middle of the city, or a rural area, you’re sure to bump into wild Birds in their natural environment. The great news is that observing these quirky animals has been proven to boost mental health and is an easy hobby to get into!

We asked Ross Rawolle, a Bird photographer, about his experience observing Birds in the wild. Here is how he started and met some of the Avian friends he made in his neighborhood.

Question: Tell us more about how this hobby of yours came to be.

Answer: Nakahiligan ko ito noong mapansin ko na marami pala tayong iba’t-ibang uri ng Ibon na matatagpuan dito sa siyudad. Pati sa mga bakasyon ko, hindi ko na maalis ang mata ko sa mga puno dahil naaaliw ako makakita ng mga bagong Ibon sa bawat lugar na napupuntahan ko. Napagdesisyunan ko nang bumili ng camera para makilala ang mga ito at maibahagi din sa ibang tao na mayroon pala tayong mga ganitong Ibon dito at dapat mapangalagaan pa ang kanilang tirahan.

(I started to enjoy this when I noticed that there are many different kinds of Birds here in the city. Even when I go on vacation, I found that I couldn’t take my eyes off of the trees because I was amazed by the new Birds whom I saw everywhere. I eventually decided to buy a camera to get to know them, but also to let others know about them and share that we need to take care of their habitat.)

Q: Where do you get information about the Birds in your photos?

A: Noong nagkaroon na ako ng camera, sumali na din ako sa mga Facebook group ng mga Birders dito at mayroon ding mga Bird identification app para din malaman kung endemic sila at kung ano ang conservation status nila.

(When I got my camera, I joined Facebook groups of local Birders, and there are also Bird identification apps for when you want to find out what their conservation status is and if they’re endemic.)