I’ve had writer’s block lately. Part of that has been the birding summer doldrums. We’re in between migrations, the singing and displays have largely stopped, and the birds seem to disappear into hiding places during the summer heat.

The other part is that I’m feeling a bit lost with birding at the moment.

Many years ago, I treated myself to an entry-level DSLR camera. Although birds were not my main target originally, I eventually blended my budding interest in birds with photography. The camera served as my eyes to uncovering the secrets and nuances of bird identification. This little camera went everywhere with me, and it helped me through countless ID questions as a beginner. Amazingly, I didn’t own a pair of binoculars for years. Instead, my close-up view of the birding world was through my camera.

My faithful little camera finally called it quits after countless adventures, and it was time for me to find a replacement. I splurged and bought a common birding set-up with an intermediate-level DSLR and a new 100-400mm lens.

A couple months ago, in a parking area of a favorite birding spot, our car was broken into and my camera gear stolen from the trunk. We came out of the experience unharmed, but the emotional toll is still present.

Birding without a camera feels foreign to me. Although I now appreciate the ease and lightness of binoculars, I’ve always enjoyed snapping a picture of a bird. It not only helps with hard IDs, but seeing a picture brings up memories of each trip that puts a smile on my face long after the experience has passed. Photos of birds is a personal pleasure and I enjoy sharing favorite images along with their stories.

I’ve now recovered enough to look into a replacement. I hope to have something soon in time for fall migration.

Crime has unfortunately been climbing substantially in the Bay Area. Here are some tips that I’ve learned from this experience:

1. Your personal safety is worth more than things. Protect yourself first and foremost.
2. I’ve learned that gear is most commonly stolen from the trunks of cars. Even though I stored my camera and purse in the trunk prior to arriving at the location (a habit that I thought would protect from car break-ins), apparently those intent on pursuing car thefts will opportunistically rummage through your trunk. Bear this in mind when deciding what to pack from home for an outing.
3. Take note if there is broken auto glass in a parking area. It means a break-in has likely happened there previously, and probably recently.
4. Register your gear, and sign up for insurance to protect your belongings.