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“Beginner’s Luck: My First Year of Birding” With Avrel Seale
Looking to begin birdwatching? Join Avrel Seale for “Beginner’s Luck: My First Year of Birding” at 6 p.m. March 17 at the Nature Speaker Series at Quinta Mazatlán World Birding Center.
A Valley native living in Austin, Seale is the author of 10 books and a writer for the University of Texas at Austin. The youngest son of Jan Seale and the late Carl Seale, he is also the brother of Erren and Ansen, all of whom have been heavily involved with Quinta Mazatlán over many years. Seale began filming and photographing birds during the catastrophic winter storm of February 2021 and never stopped. His presentation will include a video highlighting the best captures of his first year of birding. Nearly all of his subjects were filmed in Texas, including at Quinta Mazatlán, Estero Llano Grande State Park near Weslaco and South Padre Island.
For Seale, the challenge of photography is greater due to a major stroke four years ago. Seale can use only his left hand, and camera shutter releases are almost exclusively on the right. Despite this hurdle Seale persevered and picked up tips and tricks on how to capture stunning images of birds. He utilized a mix of tools to build his bird knowledge, including traditional field guides and Facebook groups, as well as apps such as Merlin, eBird and iNaturalist.
Beginning Birding
Capturing images of nature does not require an advanced professional camera. Nature photography can begin with your own cell phone camera. In addition to digital photography, Seale uses a cell phone and a spotting scope. This captures slow-motion video revealing extraordinary details of bird behavior too quick to notice in real time.
The benefits of birding include improving physical and mental health by staying active and reducing stress. Birders engage with community and other birders while providing a positive economic impact on the community. Birding can happen almost anywhere from a local park to a back yard. It also does not require any extras to begin. As long as you have an interest, it’s never too late or too early to begin your birding journey.
“They say youth is wasted on the young, and I was woefully disinterested in birds for all those years I lived in the Valley,” Seale mused. “I guess I had to move 350 miles away before I realized that my hometown is basically the center of the birding universe.”