Thoughts so far.

Now the summer of 2012 is now over. Autumn is finally upon us. If the predictions are right, we are slowly heading for the death of the world and everything in it.

Depressing isn’t it. Now I am usually a pessimist but I have been thinking a lot over the last few months. Its not about the end of the world, its about the start of my life. I have spent years being at school learning about subjects that I would never use again. Being at university is not where I saw myself going when I was a spotty teenager. Simply because I thought it was full of clever rich kids. Some of them are, most are full of normal people who just want to get a degree and succeed in their chosen path. It may be a profession or it may just happen to be working in a place where they are happy.

         This is where my thinking has taken me. As my brother has just finished his MA and got his first job, I started to think what I wanted to be in 10 years. Assuming we are not all dead in the coming months. I have to say it does feel apt that I am listening to ‘Heroes’ by David Bowie. It is making this blog seem like it is going to change me in some profound way. Back to my point, my broth seems to have a job he was born for. Working in a bookshop. It is perfect for him and I am very happy that he has found something that he will grasp with two hands. Will I be able to find this when I leave university? Will I have the credentials to get a job that I will be able to enjoy and really make myself happy?

Those who read this blog on a regular basis will know that I am an avid bird watcher. I don’t know why but I have more books on Birds than anything else. I am just a bird person. They are fantastic aren’t they? Having the freedom to just fly away if it gets too much for them. The beauty of flight, the melody of their songs, their perfect plumage and for me it is the way they take my breath away when they are close. I recently purchased a copy of the animated film ‘Rio’. I actually cried in that film not at the end but during it. I felt anger. I was so moved by that film, I cannot put into words how pleased I am that it has. It has given me a motive to do something about birds being taken from the wild. To do something that will give something back to the creatures, which have held me in their spell for over a decade and will continue to do so for the rest of my life. I have no doubt on that.

So my thoughts over the summer have been what should I do when I leave university in 2 years time? I do have one thing on the cards, which is a self-funded expedition around the UK going to RSPB reserves and helping the BTO with information gathering. Then what? What is there after that for Dominic Boulding? Back to the film I spoke of just a second ago. Should I try and become an ornithologist? Get a doctorate in that? Go to far-flung place to gather evidence of disappearing species or the emergence of species on the brink of extinction? I want to give a lot back to my feathered friends but I am not sure of how to do that. I have ideas and thought of what I want to do.

With those thoughts milling around in my head for the past several months I will try and get them in an order I think I can cope with. I do know that in a month or so there is a big series of talks in London, I hope I will be there. These series of talks will be hosted by some of the best wildlife photographers, filmmakers and editors the world has seen. This is where I hope to be able to get my inspiration of what to do and how to do it. I hope to also pitch my idea of the trip to the BBC or some other influential organisation. This is not to further me in a selfish act. I do not want to do anything with that motivation, it is not the way that my parents brought me up. I want to do something that I have pride in doing because I can see the results, I can see change for the good and I can see the happiness that it give my friends and family to see me enjoy what I do. They are the people whom have given me the support that I really need.

I am also going to be Vloging and Bloging every week with my goings on. Any developments in what I will be doing what I am up to, and if anything really takes my eye I will be talking about those subject. Bird related topics and suggestions are most welcome.

I would how ever like to quickly say something about the badger cull that is rampaging through the country. I use the word rampage simply because it is a much debated topic on social media sites. I don’t pretend to be on the fence. I don’t like the badger cull. I do not pretend to know all the facts and figures. I make no reservations in saying this is a cruel way of trying to save cattle from TB. Personally if every farmer had 1 wildlife person on their farm that would trap the badgers and inoculated them, I would pay more for the meat that I buy. Why? I would rather pay more for food and save an animal than have cheap meat. I find that food prices are one of the stupidest things; it is something that I have to live with though. If there was a way to stop this badger cull then I would be happy to out my meaningless name to it. With enough names to any cause anything can be done. Whether it has been women wanting to vote, stopping genocide and even saving a species. It is not the big name that makes a cause worth wile. It is the anonymous names, ordinary people who want to fight to keep their morals. We are the dominant species, which has grown a conscience. It is up to us to save the things we find beautiful in this world.

Groombirdge Place and The Raptor Centre

FIRST please visit the raptor center website:
http://www.raptorcentre.co.uk/
 THANK YOU


The other day I went to visit Groombridge Place. The reason I went is to go and visit ‘The Raptor Centre’. Normally I don’t like falconry centres, BUT this isn’t. It is, as Eddie Hare proud owner of the Raptor Centre and employer of these bird’s states, a sanctuary. This is different; he takes injured or abandoned birds in and then employs them in his shows. Whereas falconry centers use birds to hunt for sport, Eddies ‘Raptor Centre’ is a place where the birds have free will and a freedom which falconry do not.

Now I do have to say that the way Eddie talks and acts is second to none, he is confident that his ‘employees’ will do as he asks and his payments and incentives are enough to keep them with him. They are free to leave if they feel like it; they don’t because Eddie pays well. They are indeed free as he talks about in his flying displays.

Eddie is a very good presenter of not only himself but of what he stands for. It made the 30 minuets fly, if you will excuse the pun, by. His presentation of the birds is, I think, unique. I think that the entire operation of the Raptor Centre is fantastic. Publicly funded, no support from any big contributors, it is all funded though the visitors of Groombridge Place who put their donation into some wooden boxes.

Which to me sums up the whole meaning of the Raptor Centre, not to be the biggest. As the demonstration are all done by the single staff member, Eddie and his bird employees, they are conducted in a well thought out way not only theatrically but also to show that the birds are not dangerous. They hunt because they have to. Eddie explains this comprehensively and in a way so the audience understands, as most of the audience is under the age of 12.

After the demonstration Eddie opened up the weathering ground. This is where a few of the other birds are. It is also a chance to see their beauty - normally you only see birds along way off and it is hard to see them. Having the weathering grounds offers a close up experience with out touching them. It is also a chance for the audience to talk to Eddie about the birds and get to ask burning questions they have about birds of prey.

At the end of this little complex there is a building where Eddie has put up pictures and a little history about himself and the Raptor Centre. Along with this there are facts about birds of prey, common misconceptions of them and some sheets about telling birds apart.

Personally I thoroughly enjoyed watching the birds, being a bird watcher anyway makes it all the more exciting. Words and photographs really cannot beat actually seeing thee birds in flight and hearing Eddie’s explanations and convocation. I have such a passion for birds; it makes me really happy to see someone who loves them as much as me put in their life and soul to see them become healthy and well cared for birds. 

Eddie does such a fantastic job and deserves a lot of credit. I hope if Eddie reads this that he will thank the birds, which flew on Friday for us. Because they understand him a bit better than me (he also has their bonus).

To follow up there are a few other shots of the birds and some flowers from the beautiful gardens surrounding Groombridge.