Tag Archives: birding

The Big Year Is A Fun Comedy For Bird Enthusiasts

I first took notice of this film because of where I live- which is not that far away from Long Point, Ontario, a mecca for birdwatchers. I find that it’s a more immersive experience to watch a movie that is connected thematically in some way to the sorts of activities that the area I live in has to offer. This reinforces the suspension of disbelief while watching and serves to supercharge the imagination.  If you live in a seaside community and you’ve ever watched Jaws followed by a bit of swimming you know exactly what I mean.

Back to the birds 

The main story arc of The Big Year goes a little like this:  A ready-to-retire-but-not-quite-sure-its-the-right-time-to-retire businessman and a mid-thirties-divorced-unemployed-savant (he can identify any bird just by hearing a few notes of its birdsong) aim for beating the current single year record of bird sightings. In the parlance of the ‘birding’ community, this is known as doing a ‘big year’. The current record holder, played by Owen Wilson, is the rock-star of the ‘birding’ community and is completely obsessed with stopping anyone else from beating his record- even if this means missing the birth of his child and ruining his second marriage.

Highly competitive obsession

Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson in the The Big Year.

I always believed that birding was a slowly paced albeit serious hobby but this movie turns the notion on its head. The story develops and moves quickly. The characters are highly  competitive and race against each other as the suspense and intensity builds.

The Big Year is satisfying, clever and funny . If you are a birder there is a good chance that you will love this movie (especially if you can relate to the obsessive compulsive behavior of the main characters) but then again you might end up blaming this movie- you might decide on doing a big year and to hell with anything and anyone in your path. For the Silo, Doug McKenzie.

Jack Black’s character feeling bad (but not that bad) about Steve Martin’s character picking up the dinner tab.

Supplemental- The Big Year:A Tale of Man,Nature and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik.  http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/entertainment/jan-june04/bird_04-12.html

St. Lawrence Expedition Earns National Geographic Recognition

Adventure Canada Logo

National Geographic Traveler recently released its tenth annual ‘50 Tours of a Lifetime,’ a curated list of the best-guided trips offered by today’s top adventure tour operators around the globe. This year’s collection includes Adventure Canada’s Mighty Saint Lawrence expedition cruise, an incredible voyage that begins in historic Québec City and travels down the Saint Lawrence seaway to the French territory of Saint-Pierre. Travellers will search for beluga and blue whales in Saguenay Fjord, hike Anticosti Island, photograph the famous red cliffs of the Magdalen Islands, and discover the rich geological and natural histories of the region. The expedition departs June 14, 2015.

Adventure Canada     “It is a great privilege to be included in National Geographic Traveler’s 50 Tours of a Lifetime in 2015,” said Cedar Swan, CEO of Adventure Canada. “We’ve worked hard to curate an incredible team that will enhance the rich natural landscape and history that played such a key role in formation of Canada. We’re thrilled to help shine the spotlight on Quebec’s Maritime region and we look forward to connecting our guests to the people, culture, and natural wonders of this region for years to come.”
Sailing down the nation’s historic waterway, the 198-passenger Ocean Endeavour introduces guests to the best of la belle province. Accompanied by an expert team of expedition leaders—as well as renowned naturalists, historians, artists, and photographers—travellers will discover seldom-visited coastal communities by Zodiac, accessing remote areas unreachable by car or large cruise ship.

Featured activities include visits to bird nesting colonies, whale-watching, trekking through national parks, sampling French wine and cheese in Saint-Pierre, and learning about the region’s French and aboriginal heritage. Adventure Canada also debuts its new photography programming aboard the Mighty Saint Lawrence expedition, including interactive workshops with Fujifilm photographers Billy Luong and Dan Bailey.   Adventure Canada
The ten-day adventure starts at $2,595 USD per person, and includes the itinerary and educational program, all shipboard meals, entry and park fees, most shore excursions, service charges, and port fees.

For more information, email marketingdirector@thesilo.ca or visit adventurecanada.com or call 1-800-363-7566.
About our new friends- Adventure Canada
Founded in 1987, Adventure Canada is a family-owned and operated adventure travel company specializing in land-based and small ship cruise adventures in Canada’s Arctic and east coast regions, Greenland, and select wilderness destinations. Adventure Canada’s trips feature a wide array of special guests including musicians, authors, biologists, and historians.