In recent years, as wild birdwatching has gained popularity, a new job has emerged—the "birdwatching guide", who guides people to observe and capture images of birds in their natural habitats. Li Tianshu is a 25-year-old birdwatching guide.

Since joining a birdwatching club in middle school, Li Tianshu has been captivated by the wonders of observing birds in the wild. After graduating from university, he spent two years as a research assistant at Sun Yat-sen University. Soon after, he resigned and, along with a friend sharing the same goals and beliefs, established a studio in wildlife photography and guiding. This marked the beginning of his journey as a "birdwatching guide", leading bird enthusiasts into the mesmerizing world of birds across the nation.

In April 2022, Li participated in a spring survey of birds in the Danxiashan National Nature Reserve organized by Professor Wang Yingyong of the School of Life Sciences at Sun Yat-sen University. Day and night, he and his team traveled over mountains and rivers, finally discovering a small group of stable short-tailed parrotbills, which is rare. This discovery marked the first recorded sighting of such a group there, thus contributing significantly to related research fields. For Li, it was a surprising, unforgettable and fruitful moment.

As a "birdwatching guide", Li Tianshu often cautions newcomers to birdwatching and bird photography about the unpredictable nature of the activity. Weather and environmental factors frequently influence outcomes, sometimes leading to fruitless endeavors. Encountering one's desired bird species is often akin to an unexpected and delightful surprise. "The appearance of birds is beyond human control, because they have their own habitats and activity patterns. If you happen not to encounter them, it's crucial to adjust your mindset and not to worry about it," he advised.

Unconsciously, birdwatching fosters familiarity between people and birds, establishing a marvelous "friendship". Li particularly mentioned the migratory Siberian blue robins at Sun Yat-sen University. "These birds show up among the trees at the campus every spring and autumn. I've been observing them since middle school, and every encounter feels like meeting old friends. This annual encounter with the same migratory bird species evokes a sense of warmth," he reflects.

Through years of bird photography and guiding, Li has keenly observed the growing size of the birdwatching and bird photography enthusiasts, as well as the positive impact of the birdwatching industry and tourism on bird conservation efforts. "In some remote mountainous areas and villages, bird hunting was once prevalent. However, through the development of birdwatching tourism, local villagers have transitioned into roles such as birdwatching guides, forest rangers, and homestay owners, fostering heightened enthusiasm for bird conservation."

While many think that birds have little relevance to their own lives, birds, in fact, live among us. Bird conservation thus hinges on the protection of the habitats. The better the environment and the richer the ecological resources in a place, the more diverse its bird species will be. "Birdwatching not only just fulfills our interests, but also fosters awareness for animal welfare, leading to environmental protection," Li concludes.

Source: Yangcheng Evening News

跋山涉水，只为惊鸿一瞥：一位资深“鸟导”的苦与乐

近年来，随着野外观鸟的流行，出现了一种新兴职业——“鸟导”，即带人到野外观赏和拍摄鸟类的导赏师。今年25岁的黎天澍就是这样一位导赏师。

自初中加入观鸟社团，黎天澍就逐渐迷上了野外观鸟。大学毕业后，他在中山大学做了2年的科研助理，不久之后辞职和一位志同道合的小伙伴一起成立了一间野生动物摄影导赏工作室，成了一名“鸟导”，带领观鸟人士走入全国各地神奇绚丽的鸟类世界。

2022年4月，黎天澍参与了中山大学生命科学学院王英永教授组织的丹霞山保护区春季鸟类调查活动。他和队员们日夜穿行在山水林田间，终于在丹霞山范围内发现了少见的稳定短尾鸦雀小群，那也是在丹霞山首次观测到成群的短尾鸦雀，一定程度上填补了相关研究领域的空白。这对黎天澍来说，是一个让人惊喜、难忘又充满收获的时刻。

作为“鸟导”，黎天澍时常给观鸟和拍鸟新手打预防针：观鸟和拍鸟受到天气、环境等自然因素影响，往往因为一些不可控因素而“空手而归”。与喜欢的鸟儿相遇，更多时候像是一场惊喜和意外。“鸟类是否出现是不以人的意志为转移的，它有它的活动范围和规律。万一确实碰不到，这时候就应该调整好心态，不要太固执于此。”

观鸟还在不知不觉中让人与鸟之间变得更加熟悉和默契，从而建立起一种奇妙的“友谊”。黎天澍特别提到了中山大学的过境鸟蓝歌鸲。“这种鸟每年春季和秋季都会准时在中山大学的小树林里‘签到’。我从中学开始就一直关注着它们，每次见到它们就像看到老朋友那样亲切。这种每一年都和同一类迁徙鸟类相见的默契，让人感觉温暖又感动。”

拍鸟、当“鸟导”的这些年，黎天澍也清楚地感受到观鸟、拍鸟群体的壮大，以及观鸟行业、观鸟产业对鸟类保护所起到的积极作用。“在一些偏僻的山区和村落，以前人们是打鸟吃鸟的，后来当地村民通过发展‘观鸟+旅游’产业而获利，变身为鸟导、护林员、民宿老板等，这也让大家爱鸟护鸟的积极性更高了。”

一般人或许会觉得鸟类距离自己很遥远，其实，它们就生活在我们身边。保护鸟类，很重要的一方面就是要保护鸟类的栖息地。一个地方的环境越好、生态资源越丰富，这里的鸟类就会越来越多。“观鸟的意义，其实不仅仅只是满足我们自己的兴趣爱好，更多的是通过观鸟来培养爱护动物的意识，使其升华为爱护环境的意识。”黎天澍说。

文｜记者 杨帅
图｜受访者供图
翻译｜邹晓华