Grumpy Old Birder

71 Episodes

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GOB 100 – Birding

2018-02-0704:23

Birding This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine February 2018 Like my childhood self I am in awe of the vast blueness of sky over the summer reed-bed. Is this ineffable depth, breadth and beauty God? Unknowable and visceral, my … Continue reading → The post GOB 100 – Birding appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 99 – Tree Huggers & Tree Muggers

2018-01-0603:56

Tree Huggers & Tree Muggers This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine January 2018 Who could resist running one’s hand along the skin-smooth bark of a beech tree or hugging a hornbeam? Can anyone doubt the primal pleasure of hearing … Continue reading → The post GOB 99 – Tree Huggers & Tree Muggers appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 97 – Garden Cities

2017-11-1103:46

Garden Cities This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine November 2017 I watched the World Athletics Championships Marathon wending its way through the historic streets of the City of London and was struck by two things over and above my … Continue reading → The post GOB 97 – Garden Cities appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 96 – Tales of the Unexpected

2017-10-0703:59

Tales of the Unexpected This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine Autumn 2017 Outside a summer gale is rocking every bush in my tiny garden… this seems to be an inevitable consequence of sweeping the patio and clearing all the … Continue reading → The post GOB 96 – Tales of the Unexpected appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB – 95 Tales of the Riverbank

2017-09-1204:10

Tales of the Riverbank This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine October 2017 Boxing is brutal with many more losers than winners. One might argue it saves tearaway teenagers from a life of crime, but, in a progressive society it … Continue reading → The post GOB – 95 Tales of the Riverbank appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 94 – Crop Rotation

2017-09-1103:59

Crop Rotation This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine September 2017 Half a century ago, a Malaysian friend told me of his dream. He wanted to write, but first needed to earn enough money to buy a small plot of … Continue reading → The post GOB 94 – Crop Rotation appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 93 – Rubbish Party

2017-09-0803:48

Rubbish Party This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine August 2017 The ‘Rubbish Party’ won a council seat somewhere in Scotland in the last council elections. If you think this appellation is an unprecedented admission of political ineptitude, let me … Continue reading → The post GOB 93 – Rubbish Party appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 92 – Old Gits & Spoilt Brats

2017-06-3003:45

Old Gits & Spoilt Brats This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine July 2017 Rant Warning! Why on earth would you be bothered about disability access to nature reserves? It’s obviously not much of a problem as just about every … Continue reading → The post GOB 92 – Old Gits & Spoilt Brats appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 91 – Birding Doldrums

2017-06-2903:51

Birding Doldrums This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine June 2017 Picture this, everyone around you is just getting into their shorts and sandals, beaming with bonhomie and generally frolicking in the sunshine and you stare out at the blue … Continue reading → The post GOB 91 – Birding Doldrums appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 90 – Snap Happy Birders

2017-05-0103:57

Snap Happy Birders This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine May 2017 The photo revolution took off when we no longer needed to buy film. When I was given my birthday ‘box brownie’ it took me about two months … Continue reading → The post GOB 90 – Snap Happy Birders appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 89 – Nature Study

2017-04-2903:34

Nature Study This article first appeared in Birdwatching Magazine April 2017 The question I see asked on local birding forums, more than any other, is ‘how do I get the kids interested in birding?’ Some may take to birding like … Continue reading → The post GOB 89 – Nature Study appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 88 – Mindfulness

2017-04-2903:41

Mindfulness (This article first appeared in the March 2017 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine) Mindfulness seems to be the buzzword of the last year or so… it’s a therapeutic technique, the idea being that you achieve a desired mental state by … Continue reading → The post GOB 88 – Mindfulness appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 87 – Waxwing Winter Wonders

2017-02-2003:29

Waxwing Winter Wonders (This article first appeared in the February 2017 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine) This winter waxwings were far enough south for me to see some on an outing that took just forty-five minutes, including thirty minutes watching time! … Continue reading → The post GOB 87 – Waxwing Winter Wonders appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 86 – Bogies & Bugs

2017-01-2903:47

Bogies & Bugs (This article first appeared in the January 2017 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine) Do you have a bogie bird? One that, despite not being rare you keep failing to connect with, especially after passing someone saying its ‘showing … Continue reading → The post GOB 86 – Bogies & Bugs appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 85 – Women’s Work

2016-12-2903:58

Women’s Work (This article first appeared in the December 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine) In the 1970’s TV sitcom ‘I didn’t know you cared’ Uncle Mort says that women are made for the fripperies of life, like DIY and carrying … Continue reading → The post GOB 85 – Women’s Work appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 84 – Call me 50 (per)cent

2016-11-2904:21

Call me 50 (per)cent (This article first appeared in the November 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine) Somewhere between 65% and 70% of this sceptre isle’s land is used for agriculture. 57% of agriculture is ‘rough pasture’ and another 24% is … Continue reading → The post GOB 84 – Call me 50 (per)cent appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 83 – Eat The Rich

2016-11-2904:01

Eat The Rich (This article first appeared in the November 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine) Jonathan Swift of Gulliver fame wrote his famous tract A Modest Proposal for Preventing the Children of Poor People From Being a Burthen to Their Parents … Continue reading → The post GOB 83 – Eat The Rich appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 82 – Brave Kiwis

2016-10-2904:19

Brave Kiwis (This article first appeared in the October 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine) I remember the first time I visited my parents after they emigrated to New Zealand; as we started our descent into Auckland the pilot came on … Continue reading → The post GOB 82 – Brave Kiwis appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 81 – Rio & Reality

2016-09-2903:09

Rio & Reality (This article first appeared in the September 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine) Do you remember the Rio dictum ‘Think Global, Act Local’? How about NIMBY – ‘Not In My Back Yard’? Not everyone does. My local Green … Continue reading → The post GOB 81 – Rio & Reality appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

GOB 80 – Organics

2016-08-2904:12

Organics (This article first appeared in the August 2016 edition of ‘Birdwatching’ magazine) My food bill has risen and I’m glad! We recently decided to change what we eat. I’m still a non-meat eater married to a carnivore and we … Continue reading → The post GOB 80 – Organics appeared first on Grumpy Old Birder.

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