A foreign birder’s life wandering in nature in Beijing

I like Beijing, it’s a place full of surprises and potential.

Terry said that he came to Beijing because it was necessary for his job in environmental law. He planned to stay in Beijing for just one year at first, but somehow he has ended up spending four years here so far. “I like Beijing, so for now I want to keep on living and birding in Beijing. There are a lot gaps in the environmental laws here, so I still have a lot of unfinished business here. But I also really love to go birdwatching in Beijing because there are many good spots for it, and Beijing has more birds than London, New York, Paris, Moscow or a lot of other cities.” Terry explained his reasons for staying and talked about the future of his work and life in Beijing without hesitation.

For Terry, birdwatching experiences in Beijing are full of surprises and potential. When it comes to the advantages and disadvantages of birding in Beijing, he thinks that public awareness about environmental protection still needs to be improved. But there is a positive side: many teenagers have started to show a strong interest in birdwatching. As the country’s future decision-makers, they are bound to make a difference. Beijing's air pollution also definitely does harm to birds. Next to air pollution, water pollution poses the most direct, profound and deadly threat to birds, and Terry says, “Water protection is more important for a variety of birds that come from far away." As to the phenomenon of hunting and trade in birds, Terry believes that although China has enacted relatively good laws and regulations, it is necessary to truly enforce those laws. China still has a lot of room for improvement in the area of environmental law, and we need to learn from international experience to improve our laws and ensure that the laws are strictly observed. Only in this way can our environment be protected.

Epilogue

“Always learning, always discovering.” Holding to this conviction, Terry carries his shoulder bag and sleeping bag day after day, wandering around Beijing’s Wild Duck Lake, Miyun Reservoir, Shidu and Lingshan Mountain…… He has experienced the brightest and starriest night skies, discovered rare and precious plants and listened to the low cries of owls. Terry started living his fantasy life when he was four years old, and he has traveled from his little back garden at home, through Europe and on to China. For Terry, the best reward of his birdwatching has been his undiminished passion for learning. Each new discovery injects vitality into his life, and he never feels troubled or unknowledgable. Every time he hears a different bird singing, he feel a new rush of excitement. Birdwatching lets Terry slow down his life, relax his body and breathe together with nature. "Beijing is a city with amazing bird diversity, and we can meet all kinds of amazing birds here. The people in Beijing should be proud of this."

Eastern Marsh Harrier, photo by Terry Townshend