I'd Rather Be Birding

June Osborne really would rather be birding than doing just about anything else, and in this charming collection of essays, she leads readers through backyards and river bottoms, far and near, savoring the colors, sounds, and playful busyness of American Robins, Hooded Orioles, Vermilion Flycatchers, Common Loons, Varied Thrushes, and a hundred other feathered friends. Osborne has introduced thousands of home owners to their common backyard birds. In "Exploring the Backyard," she writes about the birds people are likely to see around their (mostly) Texas homes. She also reveals some birding tricks of the trade, such as "pishing" and birding by ear. In "Travel Is for the Birds," she shares her birding and nature experiences traveling to such places as Tierra del Fuego, Chile, and Costa Rica, as well as to Arizona and Minnesota in the United States. Her final reflections, "In Love with a River," chronicle Osborne's long "love affair" with the Frio River in the Texas Hill Country, where, in April, she is resident birder at Neal's Lodges, a familiar birding site and stop at Nature Quest, a festival held in the Hill Country every spring. Osborne writes with an intimate style that often involves her life journey as well as her bird encounters. While giving us a glimpse of one woman's spiritual growth through her experiences with birds and nature, Osborne also conveys a wealth of information about birds, both familiar and exotic, and about the enjoyment one can have in getting to know them.

Audubon Naturalist News

The style of writing is relaxed, descriptive, and enjoyable, and reflects the author s passion for birding.

June Osborne is a naturalist and freelance writer living in Waco, Texas. She is a columnist for the Waco Tribune-Herald, and a regular contributor to WildBird magazine, for which she serves on the advisory board. She has studied birds for almost thirty years both at home and abroad. She formerly taught bird identification classes, lectured, and guided bird tours and has written several books including Birder’s Guide to Concan, Texas (and Surrounding Area), The Cardinal, and The Ruby-throated Hummingbird.”