Thursday afternoon and you will find me packing vegetables at Transition Turriefield ready to go to the shops. It’s what I do. Not a job – I volunteer.
Anyway, we were all weighing, packing and labelling away, chatting as we went when someone appeared with binoculars and a casually slung camera saying he had just seen (and it was a confirmed sighting) of an Eastern Crowned Warbler (Phylloscopus coronatus) at Turriefield.
Apparently this is a very rare bird who has absolutely no business being in Shetland being happier in Japan or Manchuria. I had a look but regretfully saw nothing. It’s green. The trees are green. Nuff said.
However, I did then spot about 200 bird-watchers (you aren’t allowed to call them twitchers – they hate that) descend on the hill opposite, complete with “bins” and cameras, with longer lenses than mine.
Bored of not seeing this extremely rare bird who has obviously made a wrong turn somewhere, I took photos of the polytunnels in the low Autumn sunlight instead.
And then went back indoors to talk to Trotsky, the cat, and finish my vegetable packing.
One thing I will add is that these bird-watchers drive fast and don’t care about other road-users in their pursuit of a rare bird and nearly had me off the road on my way home. Not great really.
Don’t get me started on bluddy twitchers . . . in their selfish pursuit of a sighting or photograph too many of them do not seem to realise (or perhaps care) about the disruption they are causing to the wildlife which they are keen to see.
The mass of men (and sorry to be sexist but it’s usually men) in your photographs demonstrates their lack of concern about the effect they will be having, and seem to care more about their own egos and how many “ticks” they get on a Life List.
Apologies for the rant, but as a (female) Life Fellow of the RSPB your post describes something that really winds me up. I am so sorry you had to experience their selfishness on the roads.
I adore life on this planet, flora & fauna. Seeing the birds living in our backyard & going to nature reserves, I just love watching their beauty & antics, & I understand, to a degree, why birders do what they do. However, I think that what is happening at Turriefield is pretty exciting. Our world has some grave problems now & all of us learning about growing vegetables is vitally important. What is happening at Turriefield is exciting: a community is coming together to support itself, but look at what else is happening; people are joining together,having fun, cementing friendships, & supporting a whole community with produce. So here I’ll say it: ,yes, I support & love nature, but I think that using all that enthusiasm, time, money,etc. could really be channeled into community projects that profit so many & not only people, but our community flora & fauna. Hats off to you & all others at projects like Turriefield!
It’s such a pity that twitchers do not respect wildlife. They are a danger to man and beast by the sound of it. What a shame!
Wasn’t there an episode of “To the Manor Born” that was about hordes of twitchers? ; )
Turriefield looks lovely. Trotsky very handsome.