Hi, I wasn't sure where to put this, but am wondering if there any other Mnetters who are birders?

[Overrun]

I can't say that I am an expert, as I have only been doing it for a few years. My dh has been into it since childhood.
I never thought that I would enjoy bird watching, its got such a crap reputation , not that I would let that put me off.
I find it really calming, and on the few occasions that we manage to get some one to look after the children and we get to go out for the day, I realise how much I miss doing it iyswim
So I guess what I am interested in, is whether there are any other people on MN who would enjoy sharing their experiences, what they have seen on their patch etc. I am also interested in how people who have this interest cope with small children. My oldest will be 4 next week, and the dts are just 2. We try and find places where we can get a pushchair, and don't attempt to do it for long. We also do bird watching as an incidental to a nice walk, as the dc would not be patient enough to be quiet while we sit in a hide with bins trained
Ds1 can name various birds, and recogonise quite a few, I feel its a lovely thing to give them this knowledge of nature.
What do you think?

We do a bit: I'm pretty hopeless and am very much learning with the boys; dh is brilliant and keeps us all straight

The boys are 7 and 9 now, and can recognise a lot of different birds: especially after our summer holiday last year when we saw golden eagles and sea eagles on Mull, as well as loads of fabulous sea birds, and others that we don't normally see here.

Ds1 (9) is now able to be very patient and quiet, and has been with dh to a few different hides; but ds2 (7) isn't there yet.

Oh thanks roisin, I knew that there would have to be at least one person out there
Mull sounds fantastic, I would love to go there. I remember really enjoying watching sea eagles and golden eagles in Springwatch.
I have yet to see an Eagle, dh and I went to the Fintall valley [sp] in Scotland a couple of years ago and didn't see a single one
We were out on Saturday, while my parents took our three to the Zoo. I saw loads of Eider ducks, which are very attractive, several waders incl curlews, redshanks, dunlin. We also saw a great crested grebe, and a first for me a Slovonian grebe.
It's lovely to hear about how much easier it will be in the not to distant future.
Even doing the rspb garden birdwatch from our lounge was a nightmare on Sunday

Dh knows a huge amount, I am not too good at remembering, and the dds take a keen interest and particularly dd2 knows a lot about different birds. We don't go birdwatching as such but as we live in an area where it is not uncommon to see a golden eagle on the way home from the supermarket (!!!) so we get to see a lot of different birds. The dds are members of the RSPB and love to identify birds.

I don't care if it's "sad"! I love the fact that the kids are interested in their environment.

this is a good way to get kids involved.

when i saw this thread i thought it was going to be another along he lines of polykink awareness

I'm not a birder,but live & work in a very rural area,so get to see lots of different types.

I saw a Tawny Owl on Saturday afternoon,it was only about 1.30pm.He flew straight over me & landed in a tree.Wasn't bothered a jot about me walking under the tree.Just sat & watched.Also saw pheasant,quail,woodcock & wild duck.

I thinkI need to get a bird identification bookas I see quite a few that I don't recognise.

Thanks for the responses, Tutter, sorry to disapoint you
Miaou, you lucky thing, I take it that you are either not in the uk, or in Scotland. I wont press for details of location, but feel jeoulous anyway
jangly, thanks very much for the link, I am aware of the childrens clubs, but think even ds1 at nearly 4 is too young. Can't remember what age group the youngest group caters for, so must check that out. I couldn't immediately find age groups on your link, but will go back and look later.
I just agree totally with Miaou, that it is crucial to get children interested in these things, being into nature, often broadens out into conservation issues, which are so inter linked. God, how important is that, in todays climate?
But it is also FUN

I know they used to have YOC (Young Ornithologists Club) but can't see any reference to that, so perhaps it has been discontinued. Shame. They used to have local groups. Ours was linked to a primary school and they went on early morning bird walks once a month. The minimum age was 6.

It was my DS who got ME interested!

I thought people into birds were called twitchers?

We had a jay in our garden the other day.

Quadrophenia, twitchers are the type of bird watchers who hear about a rare bird, and then all race to get to see it, even if it means abandoning their family mid meal and spending 12 hours on the road. This type of birding was very popular in the eightees, funnily enough.
More of a macho thing I guess.
Birders, just enjoy watching different types of birds, there shouldn't be a tick box mentality, although admittedly it is exciting when you see a rare or unusual bird.
Anyway, you did ask the question Jays are very attractive birds though, don't you think?
Mirage, thanks for that, there is something so amazing about seeing an owl swooping over fields as the light fades. I have only ever seen Barn owls, so am jeoulous of your Tawny owl.
It must be lovely to live in the country, as I assume you do. We live in a city, but on the outskirts and it is pretty easy and quick to get out into the outlying countryside

I'm one - not an expert, though. I'm doing a distance learning course on birds at the moment, so am busily swotting up on the songs of my local birds.

I've been quite surprised at what I've found in my own garden (in South London) - greater spotted woodpeckers, goldcrests, and a blackcap once, and a fieldfare (on its own and being picked on by the local blackbirds). We have ring-necked parakeets round here, too, but they've not come closer than next door's pear tree. I've heard tawny owls but haven't actually seen one in the wild.

My children are older than yours (7, 9 and 12) and really like going to bird reserves. It was harder when they were younger, but they've always quite liked places like the London Wetland Centre where you can walk from one hide to another when children get restless. I've always found birdwatchers really kind and understanding, and happy to let children look through their telescopes at the unusual bird the far side of the lake.

did you see me?!!! LOL- sorry couldnt resist!

Overrun, just to give you an idea of where I am, I can see Mull from my living room window

I do enjoy watching the birds and their habits, but I don't really get the whole bird-watching/spotting thing that excites dh. Whilst on boats off Mull I most enjoyed watching the gannets diving - they were superb, and so exciting. But to dh that wasn't particularly interesting, because they're not unusual. But getting a quick glimpse of something very rare in the distance gets the Brownie points apparently.

Overrun - you must put Mull on your list of places to go. The eagles are fantastic and so huge, standing out above the horizon, so actually quite difficult to miss! We also saw red deer and fallow deer, otter (only one though on the last day and we were looking all week!), common and grey seals, harbour porpoise, etc.!

oh yes i love birds too - did anyone do big garden watch? (i forgot twit)

we are really lucky and have skylarks opposite. and i saw an eagle on mull once too

I did the Big Garden Birdwatch . Anyone's children doing/already done the Big Schools Birdwatch?

I used to know all the garden birds when I was little but now I live abroad and haven't got a clue. Best sighting so far was a toucan flying across the road - I was so excited, DH thinks I'm mad

We are a nature loving family but DS (8) is the real nature lover and that includes everything from birds, to insects, to rocks!

But he's been very keen for ages. I suppose because we live in a very rural area on a beautiful river bird watching is a daily habit. A typical school run will include Malards, Moorhens, Mandarin Duck, little grebe, Dippers, Heron and the occasional treecreeper, various woodpecker or nuthatch not to mention all your usual garden birds. We have tawnies living around us and they regulalry sit on each side of the house male calling female etc. Because of this all my kids love birds. My youngest is 3 and often screams "heron" etc. She can identify everything on the above list but then so could DS at her age. Its just cos of where we are - not cos we are special or anything, just lucky.

This afternoon DD2 (3)insisted we refill the bird feeders and then she stood in the garden shouting "birds come on".

A trip to Norfolk was hard though as the younger 2 wanted to charge about and copy the birds. But they do consider it an honour to hold the binocculars so you could get some cheap ones and try to buy a few minutes with those. Don't give up. However brief a time you get to do it you will get more and more as they get older and they will probably surprise you one day by spotting something really rare - and naming it!

HallgerdaAxesForWhatSheWants - its amazing what you can see in your own back garden. We are essentially urban, but it is quite leafy around here.
We have had black caps, fieldfares, redstarts,green finches, siskins gold finches, as well as great tits, coal tits, blue tits, robins,oh and bull finches. I get out more now that the children are older, but that first winter (dts were born Oct 2004) I was pretty much confined to the house, and it gave me so much pleasure being able to watch the birds coming and going.
Miaou, I continue to feel jealous, although to be fair don't think I would really like to live so rurally, but will certainly take Roisins suggestion up and go.
Albert - your toucan sounds very exotic to me.
fishie, we did the birdwatch, but with the three boys fighting over one pair of childrens bins, it was a bit stessful.
allmytimeonmumsnet - Once again, your account of rural life makes me feel like I would love that for my children, but as I say earlier in this post, part of me knows that I am a bit of an urbanite as well
I guess where ever you are, you just have to keep your eyes open
We will have to get the dts bins for their third birthday as well

has any one else got any contributions?

It's only me again, without the Up Helly Aa name (yes, the Shetland Islands are great for birds ), but this should serve to bump the thread.

Wildlife Trusts run bird walks (including dawn chorus for the really keen).

The "Where to Watch Birds in..." series of books is quite useful.

there is a book called 'how to be a bad bird watcher' that you will enjoy. it will answer some of the OP's questions.

i used to work as a professional bird guide in Central America on exclusive bird trips. but not ventured out much in the UK though but plan to one day!

where is your local patch?

Ah, yes, kiskidee. How to be a bad birdwatcher . Marvellous book - the author (known on here for different reasons -someone linked once to a lovely article he wrote about his son with Down's Syndrome) grew up not far from where I live . There's a sequel about fifty common birds, which I keep meaning to get.

Hello you two, thanks for adding to the thread, I have had a quick look at those links Hallgerda, as you say it bumps the thread as well.
Kiskidee, I have heard of that book as well, doesn't the Author (Simon) something write for the RSPB magazine.
If you are asking me about my patch, we are in South Wales.
I saw loads of Starling flocking over the school fields as I picked ds1 up today, as they settled on the field, I was reminded of how pretty their iridescent feathers are.
We also have a bullfinch in our garden, he is working his way through all our berries quite methodically. I presume it is the same one anyway, has been back for 4 days running