There's something really special about getting your first good bird photo. The type of photo you look at and just know is not as rubbish as the hundreds you've taken before.

For some reason, I've not gone to too much trouble to take photos of birds in England, where I live, even though there is an abundance of color here.

Twitchers in Britain can often be heard proclaiming 'Look at that magnificent crossbill' or 'What a great tit!', without any hint of irony. But despite the beauty of jewel-like blue tits, red-breasted robins, blackbirds, magpies, in my case familiarity has bred, if not contempt, then just plain indifference.

But when I'm lucky enough to go travelling, and I'm surrounded by world-famous landmarks, buildings, mountains, rivers, I'll always give a passing bird preference,...