Feather Brained: My Bumbling Quest to Become a Birder and Find a Rare Bird on My Own

by Bob Tarte

For much of his life, the closest Bob Tarte got to a nature walk was the stroll from parking lot to picnic table on family outings. But then a chance sighting of a dazzling rose-breasted grosbeak in wife-to-be Linda’s backyard prompts a fascination with birds, which he had never cared about before in the least. Soon he is obsessed with spotting more and more of them—the rarer the better—and embarks on a bumpy journey to improve his bumbling birding skills. Along the way, Tarte offers readers a droll look at the pleasures and pitfalls he encounters, introduces a colorful cast of fellow birders from across the country, and travels to some of the premier birding sites in the Midwest, including Point Pelee, Magee Marsh, Tawas Point State Park, and even Muskegon Wastewater System. This funny, heartfelt memoir will appeal to birders of all skill levels as well as to anyone who knows and loves a birder.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Memoir, Birds, Humor, Animals, Autobiography

216 pages, Hardcover

Published April 13, 2016

About the author

Bob Tarte lives on the edge of a mink-infested, shoe-sucking swamp in West Michigan with his long suffering wife, Linda. Bob is the author of the books "Kitty Cornered," "Enslaved by Ducks," and "Fowl Weather."

Every Friday from 12:30-1:00 pm ET, one of the cats from "Kitty Cornered" answers lifestyle questions from other cats. Catch the LIVE cat comedy @BobTarte #Ask6Cats.

Reviews

[Emily Kestrel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bob Tarte presents himself as a likable fellow in this bird-related memoir. Either this topic is really catching on, or I've just gotten better at finding birding accounts, because it seems like I've read a lot of them lately. Hopefully there is a day on the horizon when birders won't be considered weird by the general public, and the average person will actually care about birds and their habitats...or maybe not. I don't think this will be the book that wins over hearts and minds, so much as provides some vicarious birding to the already initiated.

I would describe the tone of Feather Brained as persistently self-deprecating, and the style is a bit dry. It's probably not the author's fault, as I was exhausted from the after-effects of an unexpectedly draining birding trip of my own when I tackled this book, but I kept falling asleep in between chapters. (Actually, even writing this review is making me sleepy. There's just something about this book that's giving me narcolepsy, and I have no idea why.) Anyway, if you like to read about birds and birders, I would definitely say give this one a try.

[N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very entertaining and humble memoir about birdwatching. I particularly enjoyed reading about Mr. Tarte's recognition of the intelligence of animals we normally think of as creatures driven only by instinct. I experienced that same kind of revelation about 20 years ago that, lo and behold, birds and cats and even lizards have personalities. I was kind of stunned.

Love Tarte's self-deprecating humor and the fact that he mixes admiration for the expert birdwatchers with a bit of dismay for their obsession without disparaging them. And, I really enjoyed reading about both his sweet relationship with his wife and the jolly companionship of his friend, Bill.

Side notes:

1. I received a copy of the book in return for an unbiased review. I might be a tiny bit biased, though, because I follow Bob on Facebook and I really like him.
2. It took me quite a while to read the book because I kept stopping to look up birds on the Internet. It wasn't till I was 90% of the way through the book that I found out Bob Tarte's website has a section devoted to photographs that are related to the book's contents (and they're handily divided by chapter). I highly recommend reading the book with a tablet nearby, window open to the website for easy reference. I looked at most of the photos after the fact, though, and still enjoyed them and remembered the events and places just fine.

[Angie Reisetter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Feather Brained is quite simply entertaining. Tarte relates 20 years of stories related to birds as he observes them in the backyard, chases them across the state of Michigan, and feeds them as part of a rescue operation in his home. He's self-deprecating in a hyper-competitive hobby, and takes his time getting to know the birds and birders of Michigan, losing interest often but then catching the the fever again. As much as it is a story about Bob and birds, it's a story of Bob and his wife Linda, who seems quirky and lovely, and there are moments in the book that pass as a love letter to her. The changes of pace make the book work. There are reverent moments of awe and love, goofy mishaps, snooty birders, hilarious understatement, obscure pop culture similes, and eye-popping descriptions of their animal-dominated home. All in all one of the most enjoyable nature books I've read.

I got a free copy of this from Net Galley.

[Ari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll let you in on a secret: ‘Feather Brained’ is really a love story disguised as a birding book.

That's not to say that there aren't birds in ‘Feather Brained’, there are lots of them, both common and uncommon, beautiful and bland. Bob writes about his introduction to birding, which he discovers has a steep learning curve fraught with embarrassing mistakes and obstacles, not the least of which, is his aversion to the outdoors! As Bob blunders from one hilarious birding mishap to another his resolve never wavers, because the struggle makes each new discovery all the sweeter. Deep down, the book is about finding your bliss, and how the right person can make all the difference along the way.

Birders will undoubtedly identify with Tarte's journey. From a fleeting childhood interest that is rekindled with a new energy after a chance bird sighting, to his many forays "into the field" looking for rare and elusive birds, birders and nature lovers alike will appreciate Tarte's adventures. Fans of Bob's earlier books will marvel at his proactive approach to birding, which is so at odds to his standard modus operandi of just lazily letting things kind of happen.

Favorite and familiar characters will delight readers again in ‘Feather Brained’, including book character and birding buddy Bill Holm, and Tarte's energetic wife, Linda. Tarte has never written as in depth about his relationship with Linda in his other books, but ‘Feather Brained’ leaves no doubt as to what a rare, free-spirited, and beautiful bird she is in her own right. The bliss of finding birds and sharing them with Linda is the stuff that romance is made of.

Readers will have their own love affair with words when they read Tarte’s beautifully transcendent passages describing his experiences. Warning: you may come away from this book wanting to visit the locations and see the birds for yourself! For a bit more fun, stop by Bob's website http://www.bobtarte.com to see photos of many of the birds in 'Feather Brained.'

[Trenchologist · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a birder who takes birds very seriously and birding not nearly such. I'm also a birder as thrilled with my manynth chickadee anticking at the feeder as catching a fleeting glimpse of a rarity. I think this primes me to be a happily receptive audience to enjoy this book, although I'd in no way categorize it as For or Not For birders.

An easygoing read thanks to the prose and good pace. But it's not insubstantial for that. There's plenty of insights and impressions made that leaves you with things to think about. Personal and affecting and funny but not twee (tweet?). Though a known humorist, Tarte is not afraid of sentiment or vulnerability and, considering a wonderful encounter with a great bird can make me a bit misty-eyed, this was a welcome balance. Along with that, there were more than one chuckles on the page for me. Including birding scenarios I recognized all too well from the birder types to trying to ID bird types in the field.

Now I'm ready to get to MI, stat, and do some birding. Mayhaps with Bob and Bill, who I believe I would find birding simpatico.

Getting into birding, I've found, usually begins with that one bird who interrupts your day, takes your breath away, and gets you to start paying attention. Next you know you're mentally naming birds as you run errands. I hope it happens to you, and soon.

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely enjoyed this book, I saw a lot of myself in this book and his stumbling upon birding. His conflicted feelings on it and was grateful to have someone so clearly depict how I feel when I'm out and about looking for birds.

The reading is easy, my main frustration is how the photos don't line up to where they should be in the text. You see a picture and it spoils what bird you're going to hear about six pages later.

[Debra McCann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book quite a lot as I have so much in common with the story. My husband and I have been birding together, like Bob and Linda, since we met almost 40 years ago. Being from Michigan, we have visited most of the birding spots described. Any birder will probably really enjoy this book, that feels like it’s been written by a good old friend. It’s great to read about other birders. We are a bunch of odd ducks after all.

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made me want to become a birder, even though I don't like birds. That's what Bob Tarte's writing does. He's funny and fun and tells you everything. What I love the most is how you read his passion for birds but most of all his love for Linda.

[Therese Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book thoroughly from cover-to-cover.

You don't have to be a birder to enjoy this book.

This author finds the wry humor in nearly everything he encounters.

You will be surprised to see what he finds and where he finds it.

I highly recommend this and all his other books.

[Jeff DeShon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very humorous book about the bumblings and frustrations of a, by and large, backyard birder who reminds me a lot of myself and my attempts at trying to become a better birder and how frustrating that can be.

[Tanya Procknow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Aimee G · Rating 4 out of 5]

He is a humorous author and I like the way he describes his foray into becoming a birder! I plan to check out his other books.

[Elizabeth Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

**The original review can be found at: http://www.nerdprobs.com/books/book-r...

**A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.**
When I saw Bob Tarte’s newest book in the Outdoor and Nature section of NetGalley I am pretty sure that I squealed with delight. I quickly checked Goodreads to make sure that I wasn’t seeing things then I promptly hit the “request” button and hoped and prayed that it would get approved. If it didn’t I began to plot my next move. I wondered if I could wear them down by constantly hitting request every time they said no. Fortunately, about three days later I got the approval. I couldn’t wait to read his 4th book!

While the story in here is very subtle, in the end, it’s about him realizing that all the birds in the world won’t be as special to him as the first bird that he and his wife saw when they first started dating. Though it takes the whole book for him to realize that. That being said, this really isn’t a then this happened, then that happened kind of book. It meanders through how he became a bird watcher. Starting from a very young age when he would go bird watching at local tennis courts. Sometimes even getting sworn at by a guy there hitting balls. The book follows him to the man that he is today. He tells of his birding adventures with both his wife and his long time friend, Bill Holm. While Bill claims to be uninterested in birding, he certainly can identify a fair amount of birds. Though according to Bill it is all a result of his special birding juice…also know as Smirnoff Malt. Bob doesn’t ever become the dyed in the wool birder he sometimes hoped to be. He finds his inability to discover and identify some of the birds too frustrating. He does learn that he is the calmest while in the woods. It helps him deal with his sometimes debilitating anxiety attacks that stem from a childhood event.

While this is a good book, it wasn’t one of his best. I live a short distance away from where he does most of his birding and I learned a fair amount about birds that live in my home state of Michigan. A lot of birds that he identifies I had no clue about. Some of the stories are a little long winded but there are funny moments weaved into each of them. As the title of the book states his “Bumbling Quest” he truly does bumble he way through his attempt at becoming a birder but that is what makes him endearing.

[Jim Corbiere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished reading " Feather Brained: My Bumbling Quest to Become a Birder& Find a Rare Bird On My Own " by Bob Tarte. I loved it, as I do most animal books. His descriptions of the birds and the sounds mixed with his self-deprecating humor made me laugh out loud more than once. You don't need to read his previous three novels " Enslaved By Ducks ", " Fowl Weather ", and " Kitty Cornered " but it does help to really get a feel for him, his wife Linda, and their many many animals.
When he was a child Bob Tarte found an excitement and love of birds that lasted....well about a day and then gave up on them. He saw birds on the lawn as just moving chirpy ornaments that came and went. He didn't really pay much attention. As far as he was concerned there was only one type of sparrow, one type of duck. The only woodpecker he saw was a cartoon one on television. That changed, however. One day during his courtship of the lovable, free spirited Linda, he glanced out her window and saw a gorgeous bird on her feeder. One he has never seen the likes of ( Rose breasted grosbeak ). He knew he had to see that bird again! Searching for it he found more and more birds! Linda turned him from a person who ignores animals into an animal lover. After taking in animals and rehabbing others he realized that even birds had their own personalities. His obsession grew until he decided he wanted to find a rare bird to post on a birding website. This is his quest to find a rare bird. His novel can't be complete without mentioning some of the non human members of the house, his wife Linda, and his wise cracking birder hating birding buddy Book Character Bill Holm. If you are new to birding, like me, it is a great read. Even Bob Tarte started out not knowing his birds so it gives us newbies some hope.

[Raechel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth book by Bob Tarte that I've read. I like him because he writes about pets and animals in a humorous way. He's very self-deprecating and reminds me of a dorky uncle who tells you amusing stories about his cats and birds when you see him over Thanksgiving.

The title of the book gives you your summary: Tarte gets into birding and tries to find a rare one on his own. He's a clean, funny guy who also throws in information about birds in general, and how he learns through observation that animals have their own personalities, thoughts, and levels of sentience.

Feather Brained is well-written, but I did not find it as funny as Tarte's other books. This may be because his other three are about his observations of his pets, so there are more funny anecdotes. I still liked this book. But if you've never read Tarte, I would recommend first reading any of his other three books before trying this one.

[Janis Hill]

I would like to thank University of Michigan Press for providing me with an ARC of this book via Netgalley for an open and honest review.

I’m not going to score this book as I don’t want to give it a bad score - as I don’t feel it deserves one. Nor do I want to give it a high score for the same reason.

Basically, this book was not for me. There is nothing wrong with the writing or the story; I just couldn’t get into it.

This does not make it a bad book, and I really want to emphasise this. Despite not liking it and not being able to get into it, I did see potential and I did see a good writer. I, the reader, and this book just weren’t matched and I refuse to mark it down because of my own faults. :-)

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I so enjoyed this book! I recognize so many of the locations that Tarte refers to and while that is fun, his self effacing sense of humor and his quirky approach to life in general is much more fun. I found this to be an encouragement to me to get back out there and listen to the sounds of nature, maybe spot an unusual bird or two and making the natural world a bigger part of my life again. I have mental vignettes of Tarte and sometime cohort Bill Holm and even Tarte's wife, Linda heading over hill and dale to find a location where an unusual bird had been spotted. It's not just a love story of pursuing that elusive visual belonging to the song of rare bird but the love story between Linda and "Sweetie," so real and dear without mush or gush. I like these people and I loved the book.

[Judy Scheibach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming and enjoyable. I can relate to the way the author gets excited about a new hobby and then loses interest before becoming proficient. So I am very impressed by how he stuck to birding and became so knowledgeable. I'm a lazy birder who prefers to read about other people birding. So this book is just right.

[Sue]

Another truly entertaining book about how Bob becomes a birder. I recently heard Bob and book character Bill speak which I also enjoyed. If you are a bird lover, you will marvel at the descriptions and songs of each bird and locations he visited.

[Carrie Laben · Rating 3 out of 5]

In writing, humor is perhaps the area where it’s hardest to disputandum the gustibus... (read more)

[Randal White · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tarte chronicles his journey from not knowing one bird from another into his development of a serious ornithologist. Somewhat amusing. A bit long winded. If you like birds, you may like this book.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up in a family of birders. This book made me laugh and remember some very happy times. Thank you such a happy memory.

[Laura Lewakowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a bird-watcher you'll really appreciate this book. So funny!!

[Michelle Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book! Even if you're not a birder, it keeps you interested and want to become one!