It is clear from the way he talks about the first time a black-capped chickadee landed on his hand or the way he recalls his trip to Point Pelee during the peak of migration that Paul Riss is a diehard birder. The only problem is you would never guess his love of birds from the way he looks.
His arms are covered in tattoos, his fashion carries a punk rock sensibility and he occasionally dons a mohawk. He is the opposite of what most people would consider the typical birder, and that’s something Riss embraces.
In fact, last year Riss set out to shatter the misconceptions about birders and make birding more accessible to young people by embarking on something he called the Punk Rock Big Year.
Along his journey, he said one of the most rewarding things about doing a Big Year was meeting an array of birdwatchers. He still enjoyed the thrill he received when he spotted a new bird, but at some point, the experience became more about the people and less about the birds.
Even though the Big Year is over, he’s still working on a documentary about his Punk Rock Big Year. Throughout 2011, a film crew followed him around to document his adventures in the field and his interactions with other birders. He’s planning on releasing the film in 2013 to show at birding festivals or online, but it’s taking some time because he’s funding it himself and working on it as a side project.
In the meantime, you can check out his blog over at Punk Rock Big Year where he writes all about his experiences and gives updates on his life.
Riss is doing a great service to the world and image of birdwatching by putting himself out there and showing that birders of all backgrounds can interact peacefully because of a single interest: a love of birds.
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