Birdwatching Notebook demo turned me into unlock‑obsessed birdmania

It has rained every day here since the new year, so I’ve missed getting together with my pals for proper birding. The demo of Birdwatching Notebook has filled that gap, and I even started sending it to my non-gamer birdwatching friends while stuck indoors. The game gives you a balcony to decorate and watch over, and the more you decorate the more birds arrive.

The demo limits you to one location, then whisks you through a brisk tutorial that shows how to decorate and how you earn currency. I made it essential to photograph every bird for the guidebook — from the humble house sparrow to the more exciting Chinese Bulbul — taking pictures of them walking, eating, flying and just hanging out.

I found myself watching the virtual balcony like a cat watching a bird video, except I only wanted to add to my photo collection. Adding food items, such as a berry bush, makes certain species happier and attracts more visitors, and none of the birds get territorial; they simply coexist.

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