I started in a very similar fashion Fudgey, going 'bird's neestin' (as the older end called egg-collecting when I was a lad), unsuccessfully trying to rear a magpie chick, gathering caterpillars, getting frogspawn and chasing butterflies (I still remember leaping on the first painted lady I ever saw, like a pouncing cat, but unfortunately I flattened it in the process. I was so guilt-ridden, I buried it and made a headstone out of a lolly stick
) in the hill-fields.
Whilst some of my antics were obviously undesirable, they were part of my 'way in' and I do wonder how young uns today find their way into the countryside and natural history.
Regards, Chris