I’ve Reached My Bird Watching Era (And Merlin Is My Sidekick)

It finally happened. I’ve crossed the line from “guy who enjoys being outside” to “dad who stares into the trees for suspiciously long periods.” Yes, friends — I’ve reached my bird watching era. And honestly? It rules.

I’m not talking about hardcore ornithology with a spotting scope the size of a hockey stick. I’m talking about low-stakes, backyard, out for a walk, “hey, what the heck kind of bird is that?” type of bird watching. The kind that sneaks up on you. One day you’re grilling sausages and the next you’re yelling “Cardinal!” like it’s a celebrity sighting.

But truth be told, this isn’t entirely new territory for me. My dad was big into bird watching — the old-school kind, back when it required two things: binoculars around your neck at all times, and a tattered copy of “Birds of North America” that lived in the glove compartment. When we went camping, we’d walk the trails and try to ID birds the hard way — squinting through branches, flipping through pages, and arguing over whether it was a nuthatch or just a weird sparrow. It was one of those classic dad-and-son camping rituals. You know, right between burning the marshmallows and backing the trailer into the ideal spot for set up.

So when I say I’ve returned to bird watching, I mean it’s been sitting there in the back of my brain, waiting to be reawakened. Only now, I’ve got a new tool in my arsenal thanks to a recommendation from a friend.

Enter: Merlin

Merlin is a free app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (which sounds like it should be a wizard school, but is actually just a bunch of bird geniuses), and it’s basically Shazam for birds. Instead of music, it identifies birds by their songs, photos, or even vague dad-level descriptions like “small brown one with a twitchy tail.”

Here’s how it works:

• Sound ID: Open the app, tap “Sound ID,” and let your phone listen. It’ll show you a live list of birds singing nearby, complete with photos and names. You can save the recording and ID to your “life list” like a true birder-in-training.
  
• Photo ID: Snap a pic (even a terrible one — I’ve tested this), and Merlin will use its bird AI powers to guess what you saw.
  
• Explore Birds: Browse the birds in your region and learn about them. It even tailors the results to your location and season, which is helpful because let’s be honest — I don’t need to know about toucans while I’m freezing my toes off in Toronto.

A Modern Tool with Old-School Roots

I can’t help but think my dad would secretly love Merlin. He’d complain about it, of course. Say it’s “cheating” or “not real bird watching.” Maybe grumble something about how we used to do it properly with books and silence. But then he’d be five minutes into using it and go, “Oh wow, it just picked up a veery!” while pretending to be unimpressed. Classic dad move.

Honestly, Merlin has made me notice things I used to completely miss. I’ll be sitting on the porch with a tea (orange pekoe, 2 milk, 2 sugar — obviously), and suddenly Merlin tells me I’m surrounded by birds I never knew were there. It’s like unlocking a secret layer of the world. Maybe I should drag the kids into it, too? “That’s a chickadee,” I’ll say confidently, like I’m David Attenborough. My teen rolls his eyes, but I know he’s secretly impressed. Maybe.

Where to Get It

Merlin is totally free (no ads, no upsells, no “premium” version), and you can download it for iOS and Android. Just search “Merlin Bird ID” in the app store or visit merlin.allaboutbirds.org.

Once installed, you’ll download a “bird pack” based on your region — for me, that’s Eastern Canada — and then you’re off to the trails, backyard, or park bench.

Everyone is using it?

Since I started using Merlin, I’ve learned my Mother-in-Law uses it, my neighbour and a few other friends dabble with the app as well. It’s Pokémon Go for the older folks. Look, I’m not saying you need to go full khakis-and-vest just yet. But give Merlin a try. It’s fun, it’s relaxing, and it’s a great excuse to slow down and notice things — the kind of thing I never appreciated as a kid, but now crave as a grown-up.

So yeah — this is me now. I’m a bird guy. I whisper “hello, friend” to robins. I get irrationally excited about spotting a redstart. And if you hear someone muttering “Merlin, what’s that one?” in a Toronto park this weekend, say hi. I’m probably just looking up at a cedar waxwing and trying to channel a bit of my dad.