The Hobby of Birding

The one aspect of filming wildlife that I hate is the faffing about on the computer afterwards. Uploading the footage and the Archiving process. It is all vital though as in the past I have lost footage through not being rigorous about doing this. So today I am busy transferring nearly eight hours of film to the computer.

While I can be very patient when sitting and waiting for an animal or bird to show, or even not show, I do find myself impatient with the time it takes the computer to process the footage, burn discs or copy files. Mainly it is that I feel I should be doing something useful when this is happening. Yet when I am waiting for an animal I don't have that feeling.

On Saturday I spent a couple of hours standing on the corner of the back lanes trying to film House Martins, the birds not the band, in flight. I had discovered the nest quite by chance as I walked past, the birds were flying in and out of the derelict building. I stopped and waited and sure enough I could hear the chicks in the nest, although I could not see them. However, I watch the parents coming and going as they were using the same flight path in and out. I changed my plans and headed there with a camera to film the birds in flight. While I am still loading the footage, I think I did get them on film.

It was fortunate that I have just bought some new tapes, I was close to running out. Originally I had thought that I could reuse tapes, but to my cost I discovered that was not wise and I needed to use new tapes, anyone that's suffered a bad recording on a VCR will know what I mean. Therefore I could work in a relaxed way knowing I could be sure of getting something. When I used to work with film, anyone remember that?, the costs of shooting more or experimenting could be prohibitive, but now with Digital, it is possible to experiment and see if you can catch a difficult shot. That can mean a lot of boring near misses too, as anyone who has seen my films can testify to.

While talking of seeing wildlife, when I was returning from buying the tapes and loaded with shopping, I spotted a bird sitting on top of the roof ridge of a house near by. I rushed home to get the binoculars and camera, and was able to get back to see one of the Red Kites take off from that perch. That is rather unusual behaviour and I suspect it was that it had dropped to feed off a larger than average piece of food. I was not quick enough to film it, but it was interesting to observe.

Then on Saturday morning as I readied myself to go shopping for bird food, I saw a Kestrel through my front window. As I walked quickly down to the bus stop, I was able to see it stop and hover all the way down the hill. While I did have the camera in my bag, I wanted to get to the bus stop before trying to get it out to film the bird. But as it reached that point a gang of Jackdaws harassed it and it flew off. I have been aware of this bird for a while, but it was a treat to see it so close to home.

When I bought the seeds and Meal Worms, I also got three day old frozen chicks so that I can feed the Red Kites. I still have a plan for getting some spectacular film of these birds and now with the extra tapes I think I can put that into action.

Now I don't need telling that people think I am odd, as when I was on the bus coming home a child of three asked what it was they could see in my bag. It was the frozen chicks, when I explained that they were to feed special birds, the child was fascinated. The parents were horrified and though the rest of the journey kept on looking at me in a strange manner. Perhaps I should have covered up my second head. Then when filming the House Martins I was frequently greeted by amused or puzzled smiles. Perhaps I need to get a tee shirt printed with the words “Care in the Community” on it. Again it was only children that were brave enough to enquire what I was doing. One family group did stop and saw as one Martin entered another left, and soon followed by the first bird leaving. I did not get that one on film, but had I done so I would have captured the shriek of delight the tots made.

The only blemish on the day was a couple of blokes that I had previously encountered in the village pubs when I first moved to the village. They think that what I do is a pathetic waste of time and money. Yet they will get extremely worked up over a football team. Here it is more like a religion. When they walked past on the way to the pub, they made snide comments. Personally my reply is quack quack.

There were a couple of adults that stopped to talk but they will ask what I am doing in a roundabout manner, instead of just asking. I realise that pointing a camera in the sky or at a hole can look odd, but personally I think its odd going to watch twenty-two men kicking a leather spear about. At least my oddity does not leave me depressed or cost me over a hundred pounds per game.

While I realise that not everyone would become as passionate for wildlife as I am, and a Red Kite Bore (grin), beyond the cost of a pair of reasonable binoculars, things like football cost a fortune in comparison. Yet parents, around here at least, seem to be more happy having their children obsessed with football. Yet there has not been a child that I have met that is not interested in wildlife. While some parents will encourage this, far to many will discourage children from becoming interested in birding as a result of the parents fears (of birds) or prejudice. When I was younger I was called an Anorak, the dated equivalent of a Geek, for birding. And not just by my peers, by adults too. Yet if more children had their interest nurtured, I bet that we would see a more caring society develop.

Well if birding means that I have to stand on street corners or put up with odd looks, then I will endure that, as the delight of seeing the birds makes up for any remarks that humans can make, it is all water off a ducks back for me.