Dylan time

Blogs. One of the great things about them is that they vary so much. In the 'natural history' department of blogland we have the 'went there, seen that' type; the photographic showcase; the site specific and the stream of consciousness variety. There is a place for them all, but I enjoy mostly the latter. These blogs are like lucky dips - you just don't know what the post is going to be about and whether or not you will be informed, entertained, annoyed or delighted (or, at times, all four!). I still lament the demise of Gavin Haig's 'Not Quite Scilly' but I have a replacement, and that is Dylan Wrathall''s 'Of Esox and observations'. You can access it quickly by clicking here.

Dylan might rock a few boats and could be accused of telling it like it is, shooting from the hip, posting before thinking about the consequences and being provocative, but this is all good in my book. It shows that he cares, that he has an active mind and that he has a soul. I look forward to each new post with some excitement. Blogs like these make you think about what we do, how we do it and why we do it, often coming from a fresh angle. Sometimes you feel vindicated that somebody out there thinks the same way that you do and at other times a post can make the penny drop in your head and answer a question that you have been mulling over for weeks.

Any life is a journey, whether the road taken is as straight as a die or a meandering lane that has dead-ends, trees fallen across the path and places where the view is brilliant. The way that people approach natural history is no different. I'm constantly assessing what interests me, how much effort I put in and what is important to me. To some that is a waste of effort - surely it's enough to look at a Robin and bathe in its wonder - sorry, but that not what it is about for me. If I'm wasting brain cells in evaluating all the time then so be it - but I do genuinely enjoy the process - a bit like Dylan it would seen.

Comments

Dylan Wrathall said…
Steve, your praise is very humbling - comparing my non-sensical drivel to the wondrous "Not Quite Scilly" is, quite frankly, outrageous! If I were Gavin I'd be straight off to the lawyers - absolute slander sir, and no two ways about it!
Blogging is a fantastic medium in which to explore and exchange thoughts and opinions with people whom you'd, otherwise, never come into contact with. I love the ease with which I can comunicate my thoughts (I should be sponsored by Stella Artois) - but the best thing is that, yes, I can be a little brutal in my wording, not always pc in my general approach; no one forces individuals to read my stuff. What you see is exactly what you'll get - straight from the factory floor! That beer is getting ever closer (I hope) - take care and many thanks for the very generous praise - Dyl
21 July 2014 at 16:28
Anonymous said…
Thanks for bringing Dylan's blog to my attention, Steve. It's a cracking read!

I think I'm onto my fourth incarnation of one kind or another now as a natural history blogger. It's been a metamorphosis from the very early days of having a Surfbirds blog that was very rare bird focused, through a larval state as a local patch birder, a period of reflection as a general server-up of provocative musings, and now (hopefully) entering a final and prolonged phase as a general observer of Stuff.

I wonder why we all blog? Is it answering some need in us all?
24 July 2014 at 11:20
Steve Gale said…
Jon, why we blog is a difficult question to come up with an acceptable answer to. A mixture of sharing, showing off and and outlet for creativity is my best guess... take care, Steve
24 July 2014 at 14:14
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Goldfinches and Lavender

Image
We have three medium-sized Lavender bushes in our back garden. Throughout the summer the flowers (which last for several months) are a magnet for insects and give off a most restful aroma. As tempting as it is to cut the dead stems in the autumn, we always leave them, as we know that during the late winter we will get visitors to feed on the seed heads... This video was taken from the kitchen window this morning. We will normally see one or two birds over a few days, but have had up to 14 at once. We never tire of watching them. Lavender is a wonderful plant to have in the garden, with year round natural history benefits. So what are you waiting for? They are readily available at a garden centre close to you right now! There is an historic association with Lavender in this part of northern Surrey and south London. Lavender fields have been harvested for many years, with one particular field close to Woodmansterne being very popular with day trippers. A significant proportion o
Read more

Time to reflect

I normally come up with the title for a post after I have written it. If I'm feeling creative it will be some sort of play on words, or if I'm not then an all-encompassing word or two will do. As for this particular post, and with a few things to discuss, I've written the title first, inspired by having just read a feature about musicians who have used the title of an album as the starting point for their creative exercise. Here goes... Firstly, blogs - yes, this very medium that I am writing in and you are reading from. - what content they derive, the reason that the content exists and what the writer should (or should not) expect from any reader that visits the blog. This was brought into sharp focus by a series of posts to be found here, at Jono Lethbridge's excellent 'Wansted Birder'.   His blogging output has recently included detailed and entertaining reports on his recent overseas trips which have received a bit of flak from certain quarters. None of us b
Read more

To tell it like it is, or not...

Image
I am grateful to Gavin Haig (Not Quite Scilly) who drew my attention to an opinion piece, penned by Matt Phelps, which appeared in the November issue of 'Birdwatch' magazine, entitled 'Positive Approach', which I have now read. In it, he suggests that there is too much negativity being posted on social media regarding the state of our birding world, which is then acting as a deterrent towards a younger generation in adopting conservation and wildlife study. He also suggests that a lot of this negativity is being generated by older birders, and that these old timers keep banging on about the 'good old days' which isn't helpful in encouraging the youth to pick up a pair of binoculars and get out into the field. Does he have a point? Now, I am undeniably an older birder, and I am also guilty of having posted, blogged, written and spoken about the slump in bird and invertebrate numbers. I also like nothing better than to revisit my notebooks and share in the hi
Read more