接近30位中外资深观鸟者在中国观鸟的故事——他们改变了鸟儿的命运，鸟儿也改变了他们的一生。
This new book, 'Gazing At Flying Feathers'(1), tells the real stories about birdwatching in China of nearly 30 interesting men and women - they have changed the fate of some birds, and the birds have also changed their life.
从2014年底做第一个采访，到今年11月终于看到成品，中间经过编辑易手、我从北京搬到上海，离开我深爱的北京山水和小伙伴、父亲病逝...
'He who can say how he burns, burns little.' (Francesco Petrarca)
所以，“五味纷陈"实在不足以说明这几年的心情，更多的感受只能烂在心里。采访、写书期间，我经历过被质疑、被拒绝、被冷待、被忽悠；无数个闭门写作的深夜与白天，都不为外人理解，或被笑话“你还在写那书呀，啥时出版呢”。如人饮水，冷暖自知。
不过，我很庆幸，在这孤独的写作路上，我得到的帮助和支持远远比挫败多——例如，施华洛世奇很爽快的答应赞助出版，就算我不是什么著名作家、鸟人热心地给我介绍出版社、接头的编辑努力落实出版计划、观鸟专家给我跟受访者拉线、好多个神级人物不但不嫌我麻烦，还有问必答，有图必给，更不时鼓励我，完全没大神架子(越有实力和成就的人越是谦虚友善，多么切肤的领悟)、友人义务替我设计封面和剪影图、给予法律和写作意见，还有一个尽心尽力把书搞好的责任编辑，等等——可以说，在这路上，我看到的人性光明面远多于黑暗面。我是非常幸运的。
From the end of 2014 when l started the first interview, til now the book is finally materialised, l've gone through a few rough patch, like, the walk-out of the editor; my relocation to Shanghai - leaving my beloved Beijing and my dear friends; and my father passed away in August before seeing the book himself.
'He who can say how he burns, burns little.' (Francesco Petrarca) No words l can think of to depict my inner world during these difficult times...
However, l have to say l did get a lot of help along the way: to begin with, Swarovski optics was very generous to sponsor my book; a Beijing birder linked me up to some publishers; the first editor did turn my ideas into a solid plan; quite a few birders put me in touch with other birders for interview, and among many of them were kind and helpful enough to indulge my every (even the tedious) demand; my friends far and close helped me with the book cover design, the proofreading and legal advice...not to mention the earnest effort of pulling everything together to become the book - by my second editor. l have been very blessed even during the darkest hours.
我要再次感谢所有受访者接受采访，更希望他们的人生故事能启发大众，引领更多人关注自然，关注地球的福祉。这些观鸟者多年来默默耕耘，为鸟儿和自然保育作出无私奉献，都是麦田守望者，不让鸟儿掉下山去。我不多说了，大家走进鸟界的星光大道感受一下吧~
l want to give my heartfelt thanks to all the interviewees again, and l hope their life stories will inspire more people to join our parade of conservation. These people have been working so hard for the welfare of birds in past decades - to me, they all look like Holden Caulfield, the catcher in the rye. And they are there to catch the birds when they fall off the cliff.
l better stop now and let my allstar ensemble tell you their life-changing stories themselves.
还有很多人物未能尽录，希望能得到你的支持！
亚马逊、京东、当当网均陆续上架，新华书店也有发售。
(1) 英文书名来自北京世青国际学校(BWYA) Steven Proud (Communications Coordinator)特此致谢。
