Why Canon Wanted to Pay Me (and It’s Not What You Think)

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A question I’ve asked many of my guests on The Birding Life podcast over the past five years is, "What was your spark bird?”

For those who might not know, a spark bird is that one magical species that got you hooked on birding - the bird that lit the fire, flipped the switch, and made you realise this was something you’d be doing for the rest of your life.

I found myself thinking about this question again recently while listening to a podcast episode Gabby Sykora did with Michael Mason. One of her comments almost brought me to tears - and made me very green with envy. She mentioned that the first bird young wildlife photographer Jaime Freeman recorded on his list was a Pel’s Fishing Owl.

Now, if you know me, you’ll know that this bird is my nemesis. I’ve been to Mkuze and done the Fig Forest Walk. I’ve trekked through Ndumo , not once, but three times.I even went to Malawi. But unlike many other liars in the birding community, I know the truth: That bird does not exist.

But let's move on. What was my spark bird?

To be honest, I’m not even sure it was a bird that hooked me; I think it was everything around birding.

I still remember my first morning out birding with my good friend Mark Tittley. We were up at the crack of dawn, long before normal people peel back the covers to greet the morning. I can hardly remember the birds I saw. (I was shocked later to find out that I’d actually seen a Lizard Buzzard that morning!)

What I do remember is the people I was with, the warm conversations, and probably most of all… the coffee. Mark brought coffee in a flask that tasted like it had been brewed by angels. If Mark fails at everything else in life, he could still open a café and retire early. I envy his coffee-making skills almost as much as I envy Jaime seeing that Pel’s Fishing Owl as his first bird.

So even though I didn’t remember every bird I saw that morning, I was hooked. That was the moment I became a birder.

A few days later, I did my first solo birding trip. Armed with my tiny point-and-shoot camera, I went to a local nature reserve and drove around slowly, just like Mark had taught me (serious kudos to him for showing me beginner-friendly birding habits).

I came around a bend where the trees arched over the road, forming a natural tunnel. Sitting there, in the branches above my little Nissan Micra, was a bird. I managed to position the car and snap a few shots. The bird just sat there, calm as ever.

Now, let me tell you — those photos were bad. Like, burn-your-eyeballs, ruin-Canon’s-reputation, make-you-question-humanity bad. If Canon had seen those photos, they might have paid me not to shoot more, but to never touch their equipment again. Super cringeworthy.

Still, I sent the photo to Mark. After cleansing his computer three times with holy oil to rid it of the trauma, he sent me an email that said:

“You just saw a Narina Trogon.”

A Narina Trogon photo I took a few years later

Yes, that Narina Trogon.

The bird people travel for.

The bird people pay guides for.

And here I was, a complete rookie with the field skills of a bald pumpkin, nailing it on my first solo outing.

I didn’t grasp the magnitude of that sighting at the time. But that badly photographed, technicolour bird, glowing with the fingerprints of an invisible Creator, probably became the bird that made it all stick. Not quite the spark bird, but definitely the stick bird.

It would be a few years before I saw another Narina Trogon, but thankfully, my photos have improved since then.

So, what about you? What was your spark bird? What made the birding bug bite for you?

Book a stay at Nibela Lake Lodge. Nestled in an ancient sand forest on the banks of Lake St Lucia, the lodge offers world-class accommodation and exceptional birding opportunities. Besides the longclaw, you can look forward to species like Narina Trogon, Green Malkoha, African Broadbill, Pink-throated Twinspot, and Gorgeous Bush Shrike. Whether you’re a seasoned birder or a passionate beginner, Nibela is the ideal spot to relax, recharge, and add some lifers to your list.