Good morning everyone,
I was thinking last night what started my love of birds and nature off and just wondered what it was for everyone else. Was their a defining moment or has it always been there?
From a young age I was always made aware of birds and wildlife, for example the Wren than used to next in the hanging basket, the Robin and the Blackbirds scurrying about on the lawn. In the fine weather my grandad would take me to the pools (there's small woodland and its situated next to farm land) and tell me about the Canada Geese, the Swans, the Moorhens and Coots.
From times and experiences like those I've shared with you, I felt I had to learn more and that I had a duty to help protect the birds that are sometimes so taken for granted. To make sure they had food and were safe, especially when they were in our garden.
Another memory I have is from being in my grandparents' back garden and having the sense I was being watched, I turned around to see a Barn Owl sitting on the gate post looking back at me. It was the most beautiful bird I had every seen and that minute at the most when there was just myself and it were amazing and I knew I had to find out more!
And you know what? I have never been so close to a Barn Owl since, LOL!
Hi Paul,
This is a lovely idea.
My first experience of feeding garden birds was when my dad made me thread hundreds of whole peanuts onto long pieces of cotton thread, which he then hung from a washing line in rows. This was of course for the blue tits, and we had many of them, clinging on for dear life outside our window. It used to take ages to thread these peanuts with an ordinary needle, and it was hard work, but worth it to see the blue tits. This ritual continued for many, many years.
My mum knew all the garden birds and used to tell me what they all were. I have always been able to recognise our regular common garden birds. I don't remember a time when I couldn't, but other birds that don't frequent gardens are a mystery to me still.
Mum was also a wild flower expert, and we had many wonderful days out walking along country lanes picking wild flowers to take home to press. I had quite a large collection.
My love of all things wild has never left me, but it was only last spring that I took up garden bird watching seriously, inspired by Spring Watch 2009. Mum would be proud of me! I'm still mostly into garden birds, plus swans and ducks, and of course gulls - because I was born and brought up in Blackpool and you couldn't go anywhere without seeing gulls.
When I am watching my birds I feel priviledged to be a small part of their private lives.
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
I'm sure everyone will have different stories to tell about their wildlife experiences. I was born & brought up in the country, then moved to a city when 9 years old, but never forgot the wildlife I had seen. Eventually I married a farmer, so it was back to the countryside again! My 1st really impressive memory is of watching 'boxing hares' in the fields in Bedfordshire, when I must have been only about 7, from my brothers bedroom window. (latest studies show apparently, that it's sometimes the females batting off the males, saying "not yet!!" rather than just the males fighting for superiority, as was 1st thought.) I too, learned the names of most of the birds & flowers around. Now I'm trying to widen my knowledge, & we are lucky enough to live near fields where we can see buzzards wheeling in the sky. It certainly is a privilege to be part of the life of anything wild.
Hi Paul
I have always liked wildlife from a young age.
My mother has introduced me to the love of wildlife. I remember reading all of her AA Bird Books when I was about 10 years old. I have loved nature ever since.
My birding has really kicked in over the past 3 years or so. Being a member of some major birding forums has taught me a lot about birds. Meeting similar minded people has helped too. We can share our experiences in real life, and at the same time build up a great network of friends.
Having a partner who is an avid bird watcher adds to the enjoyment of many a visit or so to many Nature Reserves.
When I was about 21 years old I dedicated many a weekend to committing myself to a whole array of voluntary conservation work in my local area of Edinburgh in Scotland. I was a member of a local group of people (a committee member) who committed themselves to conservation of Reserves in the local areas. We also joined up forces with local groups in other areas of Scotland at times to increase numbers of people to do the tasks in hand.
This would mean lots of Sunday trips out:
Digging out ponds,
Fencing,
Upgrading pathways
Planting Trees (and cutting them down as part of Reserve Management)
Removal of Buckthorn,
Drystone Walling
Habitat improvement, and many more to mention here
Some of the work would mean a weekend away many times too.
The areas we covered in Scotland are Addiewell Bing, Aberlady Bay, Bawsinch (Edinburgh) John Muir country Park, Gladhousemuir, Beecraig, Yellowcraigs etc…. There are others but these are the ones that stand out in my mind at the moment.
I met lots of great friends who I am in touch with to this day. They are my 'wildlife' family so to speak. We have seen each other through our ups and downs - life changes and many other things. It is now 30 years later, and we are all in touch to some degree or another!
I became a member of the Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Scottish Ornithology Group
This is how my love of birds became more apparent and had remained so to this day.
Dave and I have moved around quite a lot and that has expanded our birding expectations. We like to see our local Reserves and we go further afield whenever we can and have the time to do so.
Things are getting better by the day, and I love anything to do with birds. The RSPB Foru m is the best place for a good chat about our love of birds.
Regards
Kathy and Dave
Hello everyone
I loved all your stories and it makes me smile with pleasure to read all what you have put.
For me personally, I have always loved animals whether they be pets or wild. I can't actually remember a defining point but as a child I always had this ginormous urge to give a huge hug to every animal regardless of what it was! even down to creepie crawlies and yukky worms really didn't bother me. The things I bought in from the garden used make my mum cringe with horror LOL. I can remember being so upset when plants died or were found broken in the garden as I believed they had feelings and would hurt (Yaikes this sounds really soppy but that's what I believed). As I got older I would read and watch anything really about wildlife and nature. My book shelves are still full of wildlife books.
As to bird feeding, whilst I loved to see the birds and would put out scraps for them I never actually went so far as to get into feeders and the lengths I go to now. This happened about 7 years ago when the neighbours at the back of us decided to crop down their conifer trees slap bang during the breeding season. Our garden was awash with unfledged chicks of all sorts. Me and OH were rushing around the garden trying desparately to get them off the floor and into the protection of nearby bushes and trees. I had boxes and anything I could find stuck in the apple trees to house them in. Up to that point I hadn't quite appreciated how many different types of birds we actually had in the garden. So that I could help them I started putting out seed, nuts, fruit, and basically anything I had in my cupboard which I thought suitable. Thankfully alot of them survived but others unfortunately didn't make it. I shan't put on here what I said to the neighbour at the time but today she has let her conifers grow back and only now trims the tops off in the autumn when they get too high. After using nearly all our best crock ware to use as feeding dishes, my OH had the bright idea of what about buying proper feeders and then it truly begun - my obsession with garden birds!
Kerry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kezmo6310/
Unknown said:I can remember being so upset when plants died or were found broken in the garden as I believed they had feelings and would hurt (Yaikes this sounds really soppy but that's what I believed).
Kezmo, I still do get upset. I must be the only person in the world who apologises (out loud) if I accidentally dead-head a flower that isn't dead!
I love your story about your neighbour and the conifer trees. It must have been a very sad experience, and well done you for saving at least some of the babies. The neighbour did your birds a favour in the end by inspiring you to start feeding and looking after them.
Hi Kezmo
When we are young, we do just the outragous things when it is connected to wildlife. When we are adults we question why we did what we did when we where young. It is a vicious circle of events of all sorts, and our parents must have cringed at what we did too {eek}
Kezmo. well done for your dedication towards your birds. Your neighbours obviously did not know any better, and now they have changed their habits now - thank goodness. {smile}
The whole situation will have affected you deep inside, and you have done your best to help the wildlife without a home to go too. Well done to you {thumbs up}
Your story about the neighbours hedge reminded me of a neighbour like yours a few years ago. He brought in a Tree Surgeon and asked the Tree Surgeon to cut down the branches of mature conifer Tree in his garden. I had tied my bird box to the trunk of the same Tree.
I came back from shopping to find my Blue Tit box buried in evergreen branches. I was upset for the Blue Tits, and took the Bird Box of the trunk of the tree. I placed the box on the ground. The stress calls form the Blue Tit parents was really heart rendering to listen too.
The Blue tits where frantic to feed, and guard their youngsters, and it upset me a lot. Eventually once the Tree surgeon did his thing I tied the Blue Tit bird box to the nearby fence.
The parents continued feeding their youngsters, and I told the Tree surgeon about the laws of disturbing nesting birds. It was illegal what he was doing. Not sure if he really cared though.
Such as life
I have lost my reply to this page three times now!*##
Hi Brenda
I type my answer up in 'Word', spell check/save it, and copy it to the RSPB
Even though I get a couple of lines of odd text but that does not matter.
As long as the reply is valid
Best solution to the situation at the moment. {wink}
As with everyone else, I too have always loves animals and wildlife. Having parents interested in wildlife and pointing out birds / animals / plants when you're very young helps of course! I've been more 'serious' with wildlife watching as soon as I passed my driving test and could get out & about to places more easily although I appreciated plenty when walking anywhere! The car just got rid of any 'distance' issues!!
"All weeds are flowers, once you get to know them" (Eeyore)
My photos on Flickr
Nicki C said: Hi Kezmo He brought in a Tree Surgeon and asked the Tree Surgeon to cut down the branches of mature conifer Tree in his garden. I had tied my bird box to the trunk of the same Tree. I came back from shopping to find my Blue Tit box buried in evergreen branches. I was upset for the Blue Tits, and took the Bird Box of the trunk of the tree. I placed the box on the ground. The stress calls form the Blue Tit parents was really hear rendering to listen too. The Blue tits where frantic to feed, and guard their youngsters, and it upset me a lot. Eventually once the Tree surgeon did his thing I tied the Blue Tit bird box to the nearby fence. The parents continued feeding their youngsters, and I told the Tree surgeon about the laws of disturbing nesting birds. It was illegal what he was doing. Not sure if he really cared though.
He brought in a Tree Surgeon and asked the Tree Surgeon to cut down the branches of mature conifer Tree in his garden. I had tied my bird box to the trunk of the same Tree.
I came back from shopping to find my Blue Tit box buried in evergreen branches. I was upset for the Blue Tits, and took the Bird Box of the trunk of the tree. I placed the box on the ground. The stress calls form the Blue Tit parents was really hear rendering to listen too.
HI Blackbird
Your story brought tears to my eyes reading that. You would have thought a tree surgeon would know the care of nesting birds and when trees should be touched wouldn't you - shame as this sort of action gives a bad light to others in that field who really do care.
Poor you! I know I would have been the same. So glad though that the Blue Tits came through.