Another busy day and, with the exception of a shower, another dry one at the Bird Fair.
I haven’t yet got as far as Marquees 1 & 2, but I intend to tomorrow.
The nice ladies from Plantlife gave me a refreshing elderflower drink as I arrived – you see plants are worth having – and I then set off for a chat with a very good birder who took ages to get his expensive binoculars on the hobby I pointed out to him.
Several chats later I discovered the answer to a question about US bird distributions that has been bugging me since I was in there (I’ll blog about it).
I saw someone with whom I birdwatched when at school decades ago (who still hasn’t given up playing hockey) and I had a brief talk with the folks from Cornell who are making their first visit to the Bird Fair.
I gave Carry Akroyd a copy of my book Blogging for Nature as I am a big fan of her artwork.
Several readers of this blog made themselves known to me – which was really nice.
All these chats meant that I missed the Birdbrain of Britain competition but I am glad to hear that Paul Donald (his second mention in this blog!) won it for the Oriental Bird Club (but the RSPB pays his salary!).
It must be around 15 years since I won the same competition, coming from last to first in the general knowledge round to pip David Lindo (now The Urban Birder – with a book out!) to the win – and he still holds a grudge.
I had a good chat with Dominic Mitchell from Birdwatch magazine and when I get home I found the September issue was waiting for me.
Can anyone read what I am doing tomorrow on the back of my hand please?
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Paul Donald of the RSPB and editor-in-chief of the BOU’s journal Ibis, won the Bird Brain of Britain representing the Oriental Bird Club. Congrats Paul and maybe for the next two years you could retain it for first the RSPB and then the BOU!
Great to see you at your loo-side office Mark. I’ve already started dipping in to Blogging for Nature which you said itself was a good loo-side book. A theme developing here!