Stick to birding
IN response to Alan Vittery (Birdwatch 385: 74), I would like to say that I found his words make for a depressing read. We are all more than aware of the change in the seasons and the need to do more, but do we really need to read about it everywhere, even in a birding magazine? Personally, I don’t watch or listen to the news or read newspapers because of all the negativity, but I hear snippets from people when out and about, whether I like it or not!
Alan’s letter, mentioning supervolcanos, nuclear wars and the like, did nothing for my wellbeing. Let’s look at things from a different angle: there are many groups (and individuals) all doing their part and, yes, even us birders can do that bit more. If countries such as China and the USA won’t go to further lengths to combat pollution then why do we keep buying from them, thus making them richer and greedier? Personally, I would happily pay that bit extra and support a local business in my own country. And those going on twitches should at least be car sharing; granted, it is more convenient to use a car, as the UK transport system is a shambles.
I have birded a number of European countries and am content with seeing all of the European species. For a long time, my dream has been to visit Kenya for the big game animals and the birdlife, but that will be my last big trip as I will try and do a bit more and scale back my air travel – better late than never.
But please, who wants to read in a bird magazine about predictions of volcanic eruptions or wars? This is a ‘safe’ place that should be all about birds and the efforts to preserve them, rather than Trump and his politics – people can watch the news for that. The bottom line is that I agree to an extent with what Alan says but, without sounding patronising, he should enjoy birding for what it is. When in hides or the like, talk about birds and wildlife; keep the tone free of doom. Maybe even stop reading the news – trust me, it has worked wonders in my life. Neville Davies