I loved Bill Oddie all those years ago, and was absolutely amazed when he “came out” as being a “twitcher” I believe it’s called. NO! I thought – Bill Oddie is FUNNY, he can’t be into something as boring as bird watching? Can he?

And then I paid more attention to my mother who by this stage filled more than 10 bird feeding vessels around her house each day – what on earth was going on? They are birds aren’t they? They poop everywhere and make a racket ….

But as I get older, and as I remember the teachings of the Native American Medicine Wheel funnily enough, I am reminded of something ….

To the Native Americans, all life is absolutely sacred – be it the life of a carrot or the life of a human, dog or bird. It is to be revered and blessed. And of the birds? They call them the Winged Ones, and pay special attention to them as they fly closer to Wakan Tanka – The Great Mystery – and as such may well know things that we have yet to learn.

So I watched them a little more … the way they behave at certain times of the day / year / full moons. I watch their straightforward good sense from my kitchen window across to the roof the other side where many roost and are now preparing to lay their eggs for Spring hatching. And I listen to their constant happy chatter …

And while I’m not personally going to go out with binoculars to see the variety around the world’s favourite Guest House B&B, I can absolutely understand the fascination with the Leonardo Vultures we have here who keep the Sierras immaculately clean, or the eagles which regularly cruise our skies as if guarding over us ….

I’d love to hear from people for whom “Birding” has become a passion – it would help me to write my website page and cater more effectively for their needs … although we have the lovely Doreen here who runs all the Birdwatching tours …