eBird
Using technology, intentionally, to birdwatch
This week, we went birding.
A break in the sleet, rain and snow for beautiful sun allowed me and our newest family member, a rescue dog named Lucky, to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC). The GBBC is a citizen science initiative to count birds all around the world to support conservation - one I try to contribute to, when it comes around annually the second week of February.
On our little adventure, I focused on sound and sight, immersing myself in the present moment. Like so many people, I have been trying to live more in the moment and allow myself the permission to be fully present. Especially in a world where we are constantly connected, our attention scattered across different media, the past and the future, these moments immersed in nature fully focused on identifying the birds around me can be so precious. It’s grounding. You have to give the count your attention, as birds whizz by.
And yet I was on my phone the whole time. Constantly.
Why?
Because of Merlin and eBird.
Birding with AI
The GBBC initiative is spearhead by the Cornell Lab for Ornithology, who have also used AI and incredible amounts of bird data to create the birding apps eBird (for counting and recording sightings) and Merlin (for identifying birds in the field by sound, photograph, or other characteristics). These apps enabled me to start birding roughly three years ago - I started recording the soundscapes around me and identifying birds in the field with the help of these little birding experts in my pocket.
Technology has an incredible way of making what was once inaccessible more accessible. The internet, with so much information just a search away. AI helping those with no coding experience build entire websites. And here, a birding app, allowing me to start birding without having to attend an ornithology class.
I have no doubt that Merlin and eBird have helped me become a better bird watcher over the last few years. But, while my visual ID skills are the best they have ever been, I have also noticed a growing dependency on Merlin for identifying birds by sound. And, despite both having privacy policies, I still have some reservations about sharing this level of personal location data and uncertainty about exactly where it goes - the privacy policy for Merlin, of example, concerningly links to the general Cornell University privacy policy, with fairly liberal data use.
I also feel the eyes of the birding community on me. I want to be perfect - to record every single bird I see or hear, and accurately.
This can really mess with the mindful presence I am hoping to cultivate when birdwatching.
Birdwatchers vs. Birders
Now, part of this perfectionism is me. My inner judge demands perfection, to do everything perfectly, so that no one can hurt me with their judgments or critiques. To be utterly beyond reproach. Perfect. Working with my inner judge is something I can do, and a journey I am on.
But it also comes from a sense of being watched… by other birders.
The birding and birdwatching community is, by and large, made up of some passionate people who are quite accepting. But like with any activity, people can take it more seriously than others.
Take “birding” vs. “birdwatching.” According to some, birders are those who keep lists of birds seen and birdwatchers are those who more causally watch birds as a pastime. As the New York Times aptly put it: “Crudely put, birdwatchers look at birds; birders look for them.”
If you have seen the Big Year, Jack Black and Steve Martin’s characters in that movie would be considered birders, competing for the best Big Year (the most birds seen in a year). And like Owen Wilson’s character, some of these birders take things to extremes - it becomes less about the birds, and more about listing and gatekeeping. These birders are often brilliant and know a ton about birds, but instead of sharing their knowledge with others, they use it to put other bird enthusiasts down to protect the real “birders.”
As a brief aside, I personally find the designation between birder vs. birdwatcher a little pretentious, and have gone by both “birder” and “birdwatcher.” I have a life list (178), and I have actively gone out to seek birds, including birding trips. But I enjoy them, including the ones that I see daily in my community, even the most common of birds. If my list stays at 178 forever, so be it.
I live in the Netherlands and have been learning some Dutch. I’ve gone on birdwatching tours completely in Dutch and you start picking up some vogel words pretty fast - including the names of birds in Dutch, which ar sometimes quite adorable (who wouldn’t want to see an adorable pimplemeesje)? In Dutch, thankfully, there seems to only be one word - vogelaar, where vogel means bird. Ik ben een vogelaar - ik ga vogels kijken! I am a birdwatcher - I go watch birds!
But, to return to the point - with these hard-core birders out there, I get anxious about messing up my IDs - misidentifying, misreporting - when reporting on eBird. The eyes of other birders - some of them quite judgmental - are on me.
Birding Apps, Intentionally
I’ve thought about keeping my own paper list, but also appreciate that the data I collect can be used to protect the birds I love so very much. Cornell does excellent work in this regard.
It’s why I, with Lucky tagging along, embarked on the GBBC in the first place. But after about 45 minutes of our GBBC run, Lucky was starting to fatigue - and so was my phone. The battery was nearly drained.
So I stopped my eBird list and called it a good day. I gave myself permission to note the birds, without having to record every single one or ID that “new song” over there in the bushes.
I appreciate eBird and Merlin for what they have done for me - making birding accessible to me as a novice. Allowing me to explore, and contribute to conservation.
But when the tool becomes fuel for my perfectionism, and not for curiosity or love of nature - it’s time to take some space.
While I coach around intentional technology use, and understand the underpinnings of how technology can “hook” us as an AI ethics expert, I still can get drawn in. I honestly don’t know if I would have taken some time “eBird free” without my phone dying.
So I’m grateful my phone died - and also grateful I was able to ID some new birds, learning and growing with the help of Merlin and eBird.
Because interacting with new technology is not an all or nothing game - it’s a how, a when, and a why. It’s intentional - for us and by our values.
Birding that day was a wonderful reminder for me of the how, when, and why - as a birder, birdwatcher, vogelaar, or simply a 21st-century human.
The Heron’s Perch
Coaching questions to ponder - NEW!
When have you, reader, been reminded of how, when, and why you want to interact with technology?
What might you take with you from that experience into the future?
Upcoming Events & Opportunities
The tl;dr version:
NEW! Try mentoring / pick-my-brain with Sarah
For coaches: join a masterclass for coaching clients who use AI
Discuss with others how to use technology intentionally
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Join the next Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb. 2027)
NEW! Mentoring / Pick-my-Brain with Sarah
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Coaching in the Age of AI: Client Agency and Ethics
Masterclass with Become Coaching and Training
Date and Time: February 24th, 2026. 1:30pm CET.
Location: Online
Cost: £30
Tickets: https://www.tobecome.org/cceu-icf-coaching-masterclasses/
Join me, an ICF-Trained Coach and AI Ethicist, for a practical session on working with AI as a Coach. I have researched, educated and also coach with the intention of ensuring that technology genuinely supports people to live in line with their values and goals.
Here is what you will walk away with:
When AI use genuinely supports client growth (and when it might be undermining it)
How to spot the signals that a client’s AI use is getting in the way
A values-based questioning approach to help them recalibrate
The key AI ethical considerations and challenges for Coaches
How to think like an AI ethicist when you hit a grey area
There will also be space for your questions, so you can explore how this shows up in your own coaching practice.
Thriving Amid Digital Noise: February Discussion Circle
Date and Time: February 26th, 2026. 5pm - 6:30pm CET.
Location: Online
Cost: Free
I run a free, monthly discussion circle on living purposely with technology - AI, social media, smartphones, the works. This will be a safe space to raise concerns, tackle tough questions, and share experiences and thoughts around technology.
Who should tag along?
⭐ You’re finding it increasingly challenging to know how to use technology in a way that is best for you. Everything keeps changing so fast!
⭐ You want to engage with AI, social media, or other technology in an intentional way - but are unsure how to get started.
⭐ You’re a parent concerned about how to guide your child regarding social media, smartphone use, or AI.
⭐ You want to “keep up” with the times, but also have some concerns abut recent technological developments that you want to discuss in a safe space.
Our February topic will be: How is social media impacting my life?
Please share far and wide with friends and family! We could all use a little more space to discuss our changing digital world.
Coaching with Sarah
Location: Online
Cost: Free clarity call + flexible, cost-sensitive coaching packages
Feeling overwhelmed by a AI, social media, another life challenge - or perhaps just by everything? 🤯
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Let’s have a chat. No commitment, no pressure - just a half hour to talk over what’s overwhelming you right now.
Sensitive humans - those who experience the world more intensely - are especially welcome. ❤️
Join the GBBC!
The Great Backyard Bird Count is done for this year. But you can mark your calendar for next year! It usually occurs around the second week in February.
Learn more at: https://www.birdcount.org
