Plastic Bags and Ponds

One thing that I have noticed this summer has been the number of people that are now using reusable shopping bags. While some people were already doing this, in the past few months it has become a rarity to see people who are using plastic bags. Therefore, when today I had to travel to the Metrocentre to connect with a bus there, I was rather shocked to see a group of women that were condensing their shopping and were just throwing the plastic bags on to the side of the road. I challenged them but all I got was an earful of some undignified language. However, when they saw me collecting them up to put them in the rubbish, the youngest one did come back and help and even apologised for her mothers and her aunts language.

I was almost feeling so disillusioned that I felt like just going home rather than visiting the nature reserve that was my destination. But, knowing just how it lifts my spirits to see wildlife, I knew I needed to visit there just to calm down. Then an elderly woman at the bus stop spoke up in my support. This brought forth more responses of support, but none helped me collect the discarded bags.

I must say that I can not understand the attitude of so many people, as there was a bin right there. I was actually pleased when I arrived that the Hide was locked as that meant I was alone. It only took me ten minutes to completely forget the incident and enjoy the birds. There must have been two hundred birds there, Teal, Red Shank, Oystercatcher to name a few. After about an hour I stepped out of the hide for a smoke. Even there I had the delight of seeing a Dragonfly hunting. While I had the video camera with me I did not try to film it as the one that I use for filming birds is not that good for filming insects and it struggles to focus on moving objects. So I just drank in the delight of watching him. As I turned to go back in I spotted some thing red on the vegetation. As I looked closer I realised it was a Burnett Moth. I did get the camera to try and film this, but it had flown off by the time I returned.

I had just settled down again in the hide when I heard someone at the door. It was a family out for a walk. They asked if the could come in. The children were no more than toddlers, and the baby was still in a pushchair. So it was a little crowded but the children obviously delighted in seeing the ducks and birds. But as with children of that age they made to much noise and the birds took to the air and moved to the other side of the pond. Personally I was not bothered as I knew they would return. The parents were apologetic but as I told them I would rather see children start to have an interest in wildlife from an early age. However when the baby had obviously filled his nappy, they decided to leave.

Within ten minutes the birds were coming back. Then I had another family group coming in. These were at least a couple of years older, and were able to contain their delight. Therefore the birds kept coming in closer. Talking to the parents, and the girls, I was able to show them the birds in the field guide. They wanted to use my binoculars, but they were to big for them to use. But by resting them on their side they could use them as a monocular and were delighted to see the birds close up. I also was able to use the video camera to show them other birds and the had great fun looking up the birds in the book. I must admit I did open the book to the right pages for them.

I was not able to film much while they were there, but it was a real pleasure to see the children's and the parents delight at the joy they got from really seeing the birds. I then had an hour of watching alone. Then another family party arrived, grandparents and grandchildren this time. I was settled and just watching, and was undisturbed by them. And while the children were talking, they were not disturbing the birds. But after about ten minutes the man started making a fuss that the children were “obviously” disturbing me. Even though I reassured him that I was not, he insisted that the children had to leave.

Not for the first time I was perplexed by the actions of other people. I suspect that it was because he was bored. However it is delightfully encouraging that children are finding delight in wildlife. Its akin to the way that most people are now not using plastic bags, slowly but surely people are starting to understand the need to care for and respect the environment.

Returning home on the bus, it was nearing dusk, I saw not just one but five Red Kites. So while I started the day feeling rather despondent, I end the day on a high. I don't need to bottle it, just see more wildlife.