June. Ah June, how you
have been so very hectic but yet fantastic as the same time.
You might have noticed
that I have decided to rebrand myself. I’ll get to that later.
This was after my
first day in my brand new job, one of the wildlife photographers at Center
Parcs at Whinfell forest. The day was fantastic; I had checked the weather
before I was to arrive and it said that I would be able to just about miss the
rain with my ‘pupils’. Starting at 9:30 meant that most animals would be highly
active. Some times this is a problem but most of the times especially when the
animals are so used to human activity and feeding that it doesn’t make much of
a difference. Well 9:30 am appeared and my single student was very receptive to
what I had to say. Lucky he was a photographer already and wanted to branch out
into taking wildlife. So it was a fantastic base to work with. The ‘pupil’ was
fantastic asking loads of good questions and was very much able to see what I
was saying helped him take fantastic pictures on the hour and a half that I had
with him. The weather did start to turn eventually but we had just made it to
the bird hide before the weather decided to rain for the rest of the day.
Either way it was such a fantastic day and the job is actually very rewarding
when you get to see your ‘pupils’ look at their shots and feel ecstatic with
their shots.
The beginning of this
month I was back home, back south that is. Only spending 2 weeks down in Kent
was so nice. Having some time to myself being able to go birding with no
pressure of taking photos. I really do like just going out and seeing what I
can see, not so much reconnecting or rediscovering, but unearthing my feelings
for birding again. Seeing bearded tits again for the first time in years.
Seeing cuckoos and hobbies. My brain really was in meltdown, I very nearly
cried because I hadn’t seen these birds for such a long time. It was rather
emotional.
Upon my return up
north I had my interview and then waited around to see when my shifts would
start. While this was going on I was slowly making my flat look like a tip. So
after being badgered by foreign voices over the telephone I got my self out of
the flat. If I can get out at least 2 or 3 times each week then I am a happy
chappy. On theses excursions I have seen many things and actually met several
people with amazing facts about Carlisle. These are wildlife facts and will be
kept to myself until the time is right. Intriguing right! Probably not, I do
try you know.
Any back to my
rebranding. It was actually on the first shift. Whereupon I met a very talented
tall photographer call Phil. Phil is a very nice and tall person. Watching him
take peoples portraits is outstanding. I really cannot parse him enough. Any
way I hung around after my first shift so I could get to know him a bit more,
you know make new friends. Any way toward the end of the day he gave me his
business card. And by god was it a wonderful piece of self-marketing. Hence my
new blog name. Because Phil is rather tall and it seems to me that’s what
people talk to him about when first meeting him. It is what his business card
is all about. While chatting about it he came up with the ‘Charming Bearded
Birder’ which if I say so myself has a lovely ring to it. So from now on I am
the CBB (Charming Bearded Birder). THANKS PHIL. I would like you all to do me a
favour though, go and check out Phil. His website is www.tallorderphotography.co.uk
That’s all for this month.
Tune in again next month when I might have more to talk about.
CBB