Birding tattoos?
Last month, I was out in the field with a group of enthusiastic and skilled birders who were much younger than I am (early-mid 20s; I'm 46). At one point the conversation turned to ABA life list totals. I mentioned that I had recently tallied mine up for the first time in years, and found that I was just a few species short 600. Their comment was something along the lines of "Dude! You need to get those birds so you can get your tattoo!"
I realize I've spent very little time with young hardcore birders of the Body-Mod Generation. So tell me, is this a new tradition I've missed out on, getting tattoos to commemorate birding milestones?
I gotta say, I have thought about getting a bird tattoo if I ever manage by some miracle to accomplish one particular birding feat (I even have a design in mind); but ABA #600 isn't exactly the occasion I was thinking of.
posted by Bill Pulliam @ 2:21 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Tattoos for birding milestones??? (never heard of it). What's next, nose rings and spiked hair? :-/ (...I'll get mine when David Sibley gets his.)
Well, yeah, but you and Sibley are even older old farts than I am.
By the way, the current up-and-coming generation of new young hardcore birders were in diapers when nose rings and spiked hair were in vogue!
Re: being an old fart... as an acquaintance of mine is fond of saying, 'Old age and treachery will always triumph over youth and skill.'
I once went so far as to have my favorite bird (Double-crested Cormorant) engraved on business cards, but I'll be damned if I'll ever have one tattooed on any part of my anatomy. This is a trend I just don't get, but then again, I'm one of those "old farts."
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