I was at the Bird Fair at Rutland on Friday, proudly representing the RSPB on our first proper Birder orientated stand. Every colleague had their role and the word ‘birder’ emblazoned on the back of their t-shirts, from Directors and policy makers through site managers, wardens, PR, membership bods and events organisers down to the likes of me who spend our time chatting away and enthusing others about our passion. It was refreshing to be there talking about the reserves, the rarities, the conservation, the science and the campaigns and I would like to think that the vibe was positive. The visitors seemed surprised that we were not there to push membership and only gave out the new free tick lists! On top of this I got to shake the hand of DIM Wallace and thank him for giving a young birder hope and encouragement nearly 25 years ago (I still have the hand written letter); listened to an enthusiastic Martin Garner reignite my desire to not be afraid to stick my neck out and be a better birder for it; to Tormund Amundson the Norwegian Birder Architect and his desire to improve his environment for the wildlife and people of Vardo in Varanger; to ask Nick Baker and David Lindo if they would like to come and visit my old school Kids Birdwatching Club at Rainham; to speak to Keith Brockie and tell him that I learnt to draw from his One Man’s Island sketchbook of thirty years ago and to bump into so many friends from my early birding years right up to my recent trip to Lesvos. Birders are largely a sociable lot and this one day of mine at the Bird Fair every year grounds me in my own birding history and leaves me hungry for more....