By Simon Barnes
Glance out of the window. See a fowl. take pleasure in it. Congratulations. you're now a nasty birdwatcher. someone who has ever gazed up on the sky or stared out of the window is familiar with anything approximately birds. during this humorous, inspiring, eye-opening booklet, Simon Barnes paints a riveting photo of ways bird-watching has framed his existence and will aid us all to a greater knowing of our position on the earth. the right way to be a foul birdwatcher exhibits why birdwatching isn't the protect of twitchers, yet one of many least difficult, most cost-effective and such a lot worthwhile interests round.
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Additional resources for How to be a Bad Birdwatcher: To the Greater Glory of Life
Example text
He closed his eyes briefly and licked his lips, then opened his eyes and looked at Dave and the kestrel again. ’ he said, uncertainly. ‘Yeah, we’re looking for one,’ Dave explained, oblivious. ’ asked ‘Mr Big’, determined to get it right. ’ 31 Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons_INS31 31 04/06/2007 17:38:39 Golden Bats and Pink Pigeons_INS32 32 04/06/2007 17:38:40 MACABEE AND THE DODO TREE Again ‘Mr Big’ carefully examined Dave and the kestrel in close proximity. He closed his eyes again and then opened them, obviously hoping that the hawk could have vanished – it hadn’t.
As we tumbled and slipped and sweated our way out of the valley into a landscape brilliantly frosted by moonlight, we carried our precious burden, the Pink pigeon. We felt we could not complain. To have caught one bird out of the 33 in that sort of terrain and at the first attempt, struck me, in fact, as being little short of a miracle. When we had got back to the hotel, showered, changed and anointed our mosquito bites, we assembled in the diningroom. ‘Why don’t we celebrate our capture,’ I suggested.
He asked. ‘Thereabouts,’ I said, not wanting to get bogged down in a lot of explanations as to where the Channel Islands were. ’ I said, fascinated. ’ ‘A very nice place, Birmingham,’ said John. ‘Very nice, and London also. ’ he closed his eyes for a moment and I thought, like the dormouse in Alice, he had fallen asleep in mid-sentence. He suddenly opened his eyes, sighed deeply and continued, ‘... ’ asked Dave. ‘For my health, I often walk in the forest,’ said ‘Mr Big’. ’ asked Dave. ’ said ‘Mr Big’, examining the question.