Bird Nerd Gifts was born of an accident – I was a crafter, not a birder. I assumed my sister, a field ornithologist, got all the family’s birder genes; Conversations with her were always hushed so she could identify birdsong. Our walks were halting affairs, punctuated with intense binocular action. She regularly (and shamelessly) tossed around the words “pishing,” “twitcher” and “Great Tits.” For all this and more, I called her “bird nerd,” but she was immune to my teasing.
Her obsession made Christmas shopping a breeze, but she was soon fully stocked for birding books, birding optics, and birding clothes. What, then, do you get for the birder who has everything? Why, one of a kind items, of course! As a surprise, I crafted some of her field photos into magnets. Her birding friends were tickled, and asked if they could buy some, too. For her birthday, I printed a Bird Nerd shirt. Her birding friends were delighted, and insisted I sell them the extras. Last Christmas, I painted some dough ornaments. Her birding friends were ecstatic, and bought up my entire stock.
My enthusiasm has taken wing. The bird crafting, birding research and birder support, have allowed me to create a website, stock it with my goods, and glimpse a possible future of self-employment. That the bird is symbol of freedom, and the bluebird a metaphor for happiness (and happy salespeople) cannot be a coincidence: I have become a birder.