So what's your thing?

Rainbowmum · #1 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 09:26 AM

What's your passion?
What's the thing that brought you here?
My passion has always been birds but then it developed so much that I just love being in the natural world. I'm afraid I was always a weird child who instead of dating/getting drunk etc. as a teen I would be off and happier in the company of my dog, exploring wild areas around the river Mersey and spending many hours briding.
I don't get to do it much at the mo as I usually have 4 kids in tow and the youngest has not developed patience or silence yet ;o) (well actually neither have his sisters come to think of it).

Alan · #2 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 09:47 AM

Hi Louise

It wasn’t just one thing that brought me here, as I don’t really specialize in any particular area – although I suppose as a child I was initially was drawn to birds and mammals. Like a lot of people such things as fishing and the usual country pastimes occupied my school holidays. These days everything in nature interests me!

I suppose the main reason I'm here though, besides my personal wildlife interests, is finding people of like mind to converse, learn from, and share information with

Alan

Rainbowmum · #3 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 09:56 AM

Hi Alan.
I have had a love for nature for as long as I can remember. For some reason it only occured to me the other day to search out on-line communities to connect with people who have similar interests. I have done this in the past with parenting/alternative living but never with my passion for nature. I have no friends who share this in the same way as me so thought I'd search out some on the WWW.
I love this forum as it is UK based so one day who knows I may get to meet up. I especially plan on doing some bird/wildlife fairs next year. You ever been to any?

Gill Catton · #4 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainbowmum

I have had a love for nature for as long as I can remember. For some reason it only occured to me the other day to search out on-line communities to connect with people who have similar interests. I have done this in the past with parenting/alternative living but never with my passion for nature. I have no friends who share this in the same way as me so thought I'd search out some on the WWW.
I love this forum as it is UK based so one day who knows I may get to meet up. I especially plan on doing some bird/wildlife fairs next year. You ever been to any?

well you should find plenty of friends on here!! I too started with a love of birds but this has branched out into mammals, reptiles and amphibians and most recently into an interest and fascination of plants and invertebrates which has steadily grown over the last couple of years very much aided and abetted when I joined this forum!! The wealth of knowledge on here is fantastic!! A number of us do the bird fairs and we have group outings to places of interest both to put faces to names (and names to names

) and to learn more (there's always more to learn!!).

Welcome to the forum!!

Alan · #5 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rainbowmum

Hi Alan.
I have had a love for nature for as long as I can remember. For some reason it only occured to me the other day to search out on-line communities to connect with people who have similar interests. I have done this in the past with parenting/alternative living but never with my passion for nature. I have no friends who share this in the same way as me so thought I'd search out some on the WWW.
I love this forum as it is UK based so one day who knows I may get to meet up. I especially plan on doing some bird/wildlife fairs next year. You ever been to any?

Sounds like you're in the right place

There have been a few informal WAB meetings, so I'd keep tuned and you never know, there maybe one you'll be able to attend in the future.

I've been to one at Bempton Cliffs on North Yorkshire coast, and one at Wicken Fen which was superb.

There has also been one at Anglesea and there was a get together at Blakeney on the North Norfolk coast. I believe there's one on Saturday at Titchwell Marsh, and one near Cheltenham in a month or so (though that's more of a night out!). Some of us living in the same area do meet occasionally also.

I'd be up for Bird/Wildlife fairs - I usually go to the British Birdwatching Fair every year among others.

Alan

speckled wood · #6 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 10:09 AM

Butterflies and amphibians were my thing, from about 4 years old, we lived in a cottage along a quiet country lane and I used to roam all around. Orange Tips in an adjacent field are my first memory then seeing Tadpoles in a ditch, and then seeing what I then thought were baby butterfies .... Small Coppers! I also remember picking up a Bumble Bee and getting stung by it, it looked so furry and cute so why did it sting me ..... I cried all the way home!

It all followed on from there, was a loner as a child (and when I grew up) I was never happier than when I was out in the lanes and hedgerows looking at Butterflies or watching Frogs,Toad, Newts and Grass Snakes. Birds ond other orders came later.

baronsdale · #7 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 10:20 AM

I've always been interested in Ornithology and nature in general since primary school. Over the last couple of months, it's been photographing them.

Living in sleepy Suffolk there's loads of places to go, to watch and photograph them. The only downside is not having enough spare time to do it.

I'd love to give up work and spend all day in the countryside away from boring "look at me I'm so good at my job glory seekers". That would only happen in an ideal world.

There's always the weekend to look foreward too, provided the weather's good.

Steve

Earth Hart · #8 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 11:51 AM

My Grandfather, who was Head Gamekeeper at Woburn Park, took me out on the Land as much as possible when I was a young lad, & I've been walking the Land & watching the Wildlife ever since. I'm an observer & my observations go into my yarnweaving & poetry.

jennyb · #9 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 06:28 PM

I've always had an interest in nature but a few years ago I decided to count the bird species that I had seen in my garden. At that time it totalled 28. I then decided to take a closer look and keep records and now it is over 40. At the same time I decided to try photographing them (not much of a photographer, I'm afraid, but learning!).

That all sort of snowballed when I thought why stop at birds? I now catalogue and photograph everything I see in my garden at the same time trying to find out about them - big job!

I have identified and photographed over 70 different species of wildflower, over 40 different types of fungus (and they are just the ones that I have identified), numerous butterflies, moths and other insects and, of course, the local deer population.

The downside with spreading myself so widely over the whole spectrum of wildlife is that I will never be an expert in anything. I will just have a little knowledge about too many things.

One thing is for sure, I look at my garden in a whole new way, as a home to the wildlife rather than "my garden". It is absolutely teeming with life in all shapes and forms - you just have to look closely.

Jenny

lewisa · #10 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 06:34 PM

The thing that brought me here was wanting help with a bird ID - it turned out to be a Yellowhammer.

My passion is the countryside and general envoironment more than the animals that occupy it.

I find it easier that way, If I have a grid reference to reach, i know it will stioll be there when I arrive, the wildlife thing is much more hit and miss

Susie · #11 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 06:50 PM

My interest is whatever I am looking at at the time

I'm only a beginner but I'm starting to be a jack of all trades. I'm particularly interested in butterflies/moths/dragonflies and plants in the summer months, fungus in the autumn and then birds in the winter/spring but anything I come across has the "WOW" factor for me usually.

I know what you mean about being out and about with children, Rainbowmum, I've got three.

Fourwings · #12 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 06:59 PM

I originally found WAB via a google search whilst trying to identify some Orchid photos that I had taken whilst on holiday in East Anglia.

My main specialist area(obession!!) is Odonata (Dragonflies & Damselflies), alongside this I am a wildlife photographer,Moth trapper and also have developed a passion for Grasshoppers & Crickets.
I live and work in the countryside and wouldn't consider any other way of life.

mrs fish · #13 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 07:04 PM

I love all wildlife and always have done, my favs have to be birds,plants and mammals I do get excited about allsorts of nature though

I have six children and most of them take an interest in wildlife.

Garden Carpet · #14 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 07:24 PM

I found this lovely site when trying to identify some of the many moths which came in the house this summer. Have always had an interest in wildlife and now I am home all the time I can indulge it.
jaki

Ollie · #15 (**permalink**) 26-10-2006, 09:07 PM

I have been a bird watcher for well over twenty years, but enjoy all types of wildlife. I started taking photos of the birds and other wildllife quite recently. I honestly can't remember how I came accross WAB, but I sure am pleased I did.
Roger

smartie · #16 (**permalink**) 27-10-2006, 07:46 AM

My interest started with wild plants and, since we spent a lot of time by the sea when I was a child, the lovely small things you find in rock pools. I'm now another jack of all trades, interested in everything but expert in nothing. Found my way here on the recommendation of a friend, and am learning every day.

jerryh · #17 (**permalink**) 27-10-2006, 10:03 AM

Anything that gets me outdoors - even better if it's in the countryside, and better still in wilder areas.

I started in my early teens by picking up my father's passion for birds, and later his love of hillwalking. He loved Snowdonia. He and my mum went there on their honeymoon, and for many happy holidays after that. When he passed away a few years ago, we had a small wooden bridge built in his memory over a stream near Bettws-y-Coed.
I got more into the Lake District, and holiday there at least twice a year to this day.

As finances improved, I got into photography (35mm in those days), and started to learn about wildflowers and butterflies.
Recently, as I've just moved into digital photography, I've also developed an interest in dragonflies and fungi.

Pretty much as long as I can remember, I've preferred to be outdoors - birdwatching, hillwalking, mountain biking, taking photos. More controversially on this forum, I suspect, I include off-tarmac driving as one of my outdoor interests.

Jerry