On you own or as a couple

[Ollie]

Just wondering how many of us have wives, husbands, girlfriends etc who share an interest in our wilfdlife pusuits. Be it nature in general, photography, bird watching or whatever.
I do believe there are at least a couple of WAB members who post on here regularly, no names mentioned whose wives husbands accompany them in their hobby.
As for myself my wife is interested but never actually goes with me on any of my photography trips, mainly due to a lack of time, but she does enjoy looking at the photographs I take.
Just interested.
Roger

[glsammy]

I'm one of the one's your probably referring to Roger. My wife nearly always accompanies me. In fact she was interested in Wildlife way before I was, and was a member of the RSPB many years ago. Not interested in taking the pictures, but she loves to experience the sights and sounds of the Countryside. I've just bought her the papilio binoculars to study butterflies and insect close up.
It's also a throw back to my health state, when until about a year ago I couldn't go anywhere without her help and support. (Literally!) I'd be lost without her.

[Kev Lewis]

My wife thinks I'm nuts when I go out to take some serious photographs. The camo suit is slightly offputting to say the least lol. As I am more than happy to spend 8-10 hours just sitting still and waiting for a picture opportunity I am very much a solo snapper.

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by Kev Lewis

My wife thinks I'm nuts when I go out to take some serious photographs. The camo suit is slightly offputting to say the least lol. As I am more than happy to spend 8-10 hours just sitting still and waiting for a picture opportunity I am very much a solo snapper.

And it's that dedication that leads to such stunning images Kev. It's beginning to sink into my thick head that the more you slow down and wait, the more you see.

[sdj]

Hiya
My wife and myself are very keen wildlife watchers/photographers to the extent that I work nights at weekends to allow us to get out midweek onto empty reserves. Three days off a week gives us plenty of time to travel in the UK.
The only disagreements are where we are going ?!!

[Tormentil]

Up till I retired it was mainly me, although HiD does enjoy walking. She is getting more interested in the flora and fauna about her, when we go on a walk now.


Its nice to do things together.

[Flora]

Hubby comes too! Who else is going to carry the bags?

[Wild-Woman]

Well I consider myself lucky as Chris, my husband, is gradually 'falling in love' with wildlife. I have always loved it but had to put it on the back burners while our family were growing up.Now they are all adults and we have some time to ourselves we get out and about as much as possible. We are RSPB members and I am a member of several other wildlife groups.
So yes, we do, do the wildlife thing together and enjoy each others company. Chris and I share the photography too.
Julie

[Chalk Downlanders]

It would be nice if the wife enjoyed the fauna as much as I do. But if she started to take as many photos as I do, I'd have to let her on the computer in the evenings, and that 'aint gonna happen

[Mark43]

The wife and i do everything together wildlife related except she doesn't take pics.

We have a joint bird list so one can't count anything without the other seeing it also.

It's nice to do things together.

[Beryl]

I.m all on my tod. I go out for about three and a half to four hours a day.
It's peaceful at leest Can spend hours watching the movment of birds and butterflies also sea birds

[Jonny]

Its normally the boy and me who go out and about, but my wife is big into nature and has just discovered forums....Uh oh. She has spent a fortune on feeders recently. My daughter has little interest in nature, but she is only 5, we will get her into it...............Jon

[carlj]

Amber joins me on our trips out, with camera and a great enthusiasm for the natural world!

[rlchew]

I tend to do most of my birdwatching, wildlife watching and photography on my own but my other half does seem to appreciate all that when we are holiday together. She even uses the video camera on holiday to film wildlife and she is often my eyes when I am driving on those single track roads in the Scottish Highlands.

She also enjoys watching the natural history TV programmes with me .... as long as they are not on at the same time as the soaps and Big Brother!

Richard

[jezlee]

My wife is interested in wildlife and will watch Springwatch etc with me with some interest, and she likes to go out for a walk in the countryside with me (more, I suspect, for the fact that we are doing something together, rather than a great desire to spot wildlife). But if we're out together and I'm continually stopping to take photographs, I think she does get a little bored sometimes, so I tend to do most of my snapping when I'm out on my own. I love the solitude, I have to say - just me, the wildlife and my camera ....

[debnade]

We do most of our watching together and also have a joint list. We decided to start afresh a year or so ago as we become a bit more serious about it all. We often leave the kids in bed early mornings (they are old enough) and start off about 05:30, returning home before they return from school and college. Our best 'day' so far was 56 species of birds - and it was raining and thundery, so we were chuffed to get that many. That was our first serious attempt to go spotting and didn't even get out of the car!

[Wolfhill]

Well, I'm far too young to be married lol. But I do most of my wildlife watching and photography with my Dad and occasionally my Mum.

[interested1]

Well as a "newbie" here and one who has some difficulties getting out as much as I would like to being the primary carer for my (adult) step-son who is quadraplaegic, I view most of the wildlife I see in my own garden (which is far from being a "picturebook" affair although I try to keep it tidy) I do have a "wild" section at the back behing an outbuilding to encourage shy birds, butterflies etc.
The point is that on the rare occasion I can get out for a walk and try to spot Flora and Fauna, it is usually in the company of one/other/or both of my dogs. I am a widower so no longer have the luxury of my wifes company although when she was alive she loved the countryside as much as I do.

[Gaina]

Originally Posted by interested1

Well as a "newbie" here and one who has some difficulties getting out as much as I would like to being the primary carer for my (adult) step-son who is quadraplaegic, I view most of the wildlife I see in my own garden (which is far from being a "picturebook" affair although I try to keep it tidy) I do have a "wild" section at the back behing an outbuilding to encourage shy birds, butterflies etc.
The point is that on the rare occasion I can get out for a walk and try to spot Flora and Fauna, it is usually in the company of one/other/or both of my dogs. I am a widower so no longer have the luxury of my wifes company although when she was alive she loved the countryside as much as I do.

Hello . I'm a wheelchair user myself and I've had a look on Google to see if there are any Wildlife groups that can accomodate people with disabilities. Maybe it would be something you can do together but you can still wander off and have some 'you' time whilst knowing your son is in capable hands?

Wildlife Groups for Disabled People

Gaina

[gmsmith]

My wife Jenny and I very much go everywhere together, a little like Graham in some respects in that she's not interested in Photography but just enjoys being in the great outdoors. Shes a member of the RSPB and her passion is birds, and she contributes monthly to the Berks Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust and the WWF and IAFW. We are very fortunate that within a few minutes walk we are in the countryside. She's not only a top gal she's my best mate, and since the kids have left home, we're like a courting couple all over again. It’s great and I cannot complain she was there for me when I had my cataract op and guided me through the village till I was able to see correctly. But we generally go out as a threesome on our walks,......... yikes I hear you say.....................we take our lovely Golden Retriever Bruno with us everywhere, and if he can't go somewhere then we don’t either. I'm a bit of an opportunist amateur photographer, and don't (YET) go looking for animals, if they cross my path then I will attempt a piccy or two. But at the end of the day for us anyway, it's just about being out there and sharing the experience together. The piccies are a bonus. Jens certainly my better half and again to reiterate Graham, I TOO WOULD BE LOST WITHOUT HER........... And Graham I wasn’t aware you had been unwell till I read this thread, if you read this, I'm glad your feeling well again. Top geezer.

Geoff and JEN

[Fourwings]

Its just me, the wife thinks I'm clinically insane

I really enjoy the company of like minded others and have a group of friends that I reguarly go out watching wildlife with, but most of them would probably say that I am ever so slightly obsessed with Dragonflies, Moths, Butterflies, cameras, beer !!!

[JM]

I go on my own or occasionally with my brother in law (lucky so and so is off to Katmai national park to photograph grizzly's next week!) however my eldest girl, who is 3, takes a real interest in caterpillars at the moment, which is great with me as I have refound my childhood looking for them Although it is driving my wife potty as when ever we go out I am constantly turning over every half chewed leaf!

[Gill Catton]

I've never actually been with a fella who has had more than a general liking of animals so I don't really know what it might be like to be with someone with a matched interest.
Part of the interest for me though really is getting out on my own just me and the smells and the sounds and the stolen moments of utter fantasticness - Not sure what it might be like to share those things but then I just never have....
Although, I suppose I'm out wildlifing with colleagues and that's always good fun esp for times like when I find something unusual or strange like the neotenous Smooth Newt out of the pond and there was someone else there to marvel or someone else's brain to pick.

Wow there is a tawny owl making the weirdest noise outside my window right now!

[Gadgetier]

My wife and I share both photography and wildlife and recently had a lovely, although very wind swept, visit to the Scottish Seabird Sanctury in North Berwick.
Having just married, bought a house and a little one on the way we only get dawn and dusk feeding in the garden
We're looking forward to discovering the cotswolds and teaching the little one at the same time

Gadgetier.

P.S. I envy my wife's ability behind the lens!!!!!

[May]

My husband has always loved nature so we often go out together.