I wish I could give you a simple answer to that.
Basically, I really enjoy the process and being in nature, but it is a rush when you see a bird you haven't seen before. This may sound odd, but often when I have my first encounter with a new bird it is fleeting and the rush is I can add it to my list. Usually within a few days I have a longer encounter with that bird and then it becomes mine. Birds I've just seen and not spent time with are fleeting.
Getting to know the bird is what makes it fulfilling for me -- that "Bird Moment" when you connect with this beautiful creature. Then there are the extraordinary bird experiences -- being swarmed by Snow Buntings or swallowed by a flock of Swallows. Birding reminds me to look, I mean really look at the world around me.
The birds have always been there I just hadn't seen them. There is almost always a bird somewhere nearby. I also love the fact I'm a citizen scientist (via eBird). I love that I can now tell most of the gulls apart - but there is so much to learn, I will be doing it for a lifetime.
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