Birding Quiz. Who are YOU?

What kind of birder are you? Answer these simple questions to find out... you must choose the answer closest to your honest response.

You find a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. Do you
(a) tweet, Facebook and text everybody that you can think of
(b) thank the birding Gods for being so generous
(c) look the other way and continue to count Dunnocks
(d) wonder what that strange, colourful bird is before you

A friend offers you a lift to go and twitch a Houbara Bustard in East Yorkshire. Do you
(a) tell your friend that you are already on your way
(b) politely refuse because you saw the Westleton bird in '62
(c) ask them if there might be some Dunnocks in the area as well
(d) say no thanks and then try to find it in the Observer's Book of Birds

The Hythe Chinese Pond Heron. Was it
(a) without doubt, a proper lifer
(b) who knows, but then again who cares
(c) bigger than a Dunnock
(d) a made up bird name, a bit similar to 'our' heron but probably with yellow bits in the plumage

What is your UK life list?
(a) Between 450-550
(b) Not sure, gave up counting several years ago
(c) One. Prunella modularis.
(d) At least 50, possibly as high as 60.

What do you associate with the word BOOM!
(a) the appearance of a rarity
(b) annoying f*ckwits
(c) a population explosion among Dunnocks
(d) a First World War howitzer

Which birder would you most like to be compared to
(a) Lee Evans
(b) Peter Grant
(c) The bloke who wrote the Dunnock account in BWP
(d) Tony Soper

Seawatching. Is it
(a) something you sometimes need to do to string a rare pelagic
(b) something to be savoured
(c) something that you don't stand a chance of seeing a Dunnock on
(d) a chance to watch a few ships passing

What do you wear in the field
(a) combat gear, army surplus, green stuff, kill....
(b) whatever old stuff is out at the moment and fits your expanding frame
(c) tweeds - like muted Dunnock greys and browns
(d) safari jacket, cravat, monocular in top pocket

If you answered mostly A
You need to get a life - or a girlfriend. Ditch the camo gear and do something for yourself for a change, rather than driving all over Britain because everybody else that answered 'A' is also doing so. Or it might just be that you are Lee Evans.

If you answered mostly B
You are a well-adjusted birder, most probably good looking, have many friends and are shit hot in the field.

If you answered mostly C
You are a Dunnock. Or a member of the BTO. Or both.

If you answered mostly D
You are Tony Soper. Have you thought about taking up rambling as a side-line? Or even brass rubbing?

Comments

Unknown said…
You find a Blue-cheeked Bee-eater. - None of the above

A friend offers you a lift to go and twitch a Houbara Bustard in East Yorkshire. - None of the above

The Hythe Chinese Pond Heron. - Blissfully ignorant.

What is your UK life list - (b) Not sure, gave up counting several years ago

What do you associate with the word BOOM! - (d) a First World War howitzer

Which birder would you most like to be compared to - None of the above.

Seawatching. - (b) something to be savoured

What do you wear in the field - Clothes, not shorts as I am not a postman.
16 April 2014 at 21:51
Ali said…
B, naturally. I met Lee Evans once, which was plenty. How I wish I could have met Peter Grant instead!
18 April 2014 at 11:17
Paul Trodd said…
Steve, you old scallywag, that did make me chuckle, and boy have you`ve royally milked that Hythe heron saga - have you considered counselling from LGRE ! As for Tony Soper, I met him once on the Exe estuary showing a boat load of dudes (myself included) some Avocets, bloody nice bloke tho, wonder what he`s up to these days, have to google him, sad I know...
18 April 2014 at 18:25
Steve Gale said…
Thanks for the comments everyone. All tongue-in-cheek, of course. Wouldn't want to offend anybody.... ;-)
18 April 2014 at 19:37
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