Like many serious birders, Garry George and Joseph Brooks have a “life list,” a record of the roughly 11,000 species of birds in the world they’ve seen or heard. “Some people collect salt and pepper shakers, but we collect bird sightings. And we go around the world to do that,” says George, who is from Los Angeles. They say they’ve seen very close to 8,000 bird species, about four-fifths of the world’s birds. “It’s like finding a jewel, like a prize. And being in that moment, everything else goes away. You’re not worrying about anything else in your life. You’re only present in that moment,” says Brooks. Brooks has tattoos of about 50 of his favorite bird species all over his body. #birding #birder #birdwatching