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Do people look at you in a weird way when your birding? (1 Viewer)

I have had some odd looks from the local rednecks but no real trouble. On the other hand I was at Portland last October and while birding on the beach road that connects Portland to the mainland lots of motorists were blowing their horns at us.
 
The local shepherds and farmers just sit and watch with amazement at this weird looking Brit crawling through the bondoo in camo gear early on a morning,just to look at some birds they have been seeing probably all their lives.
 
i never usually get wierd looks, but then again i am a 230 pound skin head, covered in tattoo's which are usually on show and i offen have my big old fat dopey labrador with me at the time

it looks intimidating and nasty even though im not at all but at least people leave me alone and i can spend some quality time with my best mate murphy (the labradour) and the birds
 
I agree that not many child abusers carry bins. LOL. Still though I get odd looks and feel ill at ease near school grounds. Last year, I noticed swifts flying around my sons school and watched them with the bins and got odd looks from other parents. Teachers have noticed me in the car park with bins at the ready, strange looks again and I am female!!!

I'm sorry but if there was a Dodo with a hat on, playing a flute, sat in the local school playground (or anywhere else children are likely to be) I still would not go near the site with a pair of bins or a camera. It would be my reaction to suspect a person in those circumstances, and want to protect my child from possible unwanted attention.

I thouroughly understand what you say is perfectly innocent and hope you not take offence, but what if there was a 'risk' and I ignored the fact only to later find out that I should of acted on my earlier suspicion?

Even if the parents are aware you are a birder/photographer, there may be a passerby/onlooker who does not.

It's a very sad state of affairs when a person has to think ahead of such matters and perhaps react overcautiously, but is it not better to be safe than sorry?
 
Being interested in birds and wildlife in general is not considered weird at all. TV wildlife programmes are extremely popular with all kinds of people. Unfortunately the more "geeky" birdwatchers i.e. those who chase around the country for rare vagrants, and look for birds to "tick" rather than just enjoy watching have given the hobby the reputation that it has.

Sorry, you have that backwards. Twitchers look like normal people or keen outdoor types, indistinguishable from gricers (extra-keen train-spotters) or plane-spotters (who interestingly are happy to be "spotters" whereas birders are not). The reputation the hobby has for geekiness is caused by purple rain suits, tweed skirts (and jackets), brogues and carrying bins in their case round the neck so any interesting bird has plenty of time to absent itself before they are deployed.

John
 
The reputation the hobby has for geekiness is caused by purple rain suits, tweed skirts (and jackets), brogues and carrying bins in their case round the neck so any interesting bird has plenty of time to absent itself before they are deployed.

That description sounds more like the National Trust member stereotype! I wouldnt peg one as a birder.
 
That description sounds more like the National Trust member stereotype! I wouldnt peg one as a birder.

No, absolutely not. The trouble is that's what people think we look like, and there are enough, frankly, dudes and raspberries out there that do (generally seen travelling in packs by coach), that it remains the birdwatcher stereotype as well. Its no better in the warm weather when the tweeds come off, either: I was up at Titchwell on Tuesday and there were so many elderly types in beige you'd have thought it was Wogan's TOGs convention.

John
 
Yes, when I'm out with my binoculars and especially with my camera, I probably look like one of those people neighborhood parents warn their children about.

Comes with the territory.

Act normal, otherwise they will report you to homeland security. ;)
 
That description sounds more like the National Trust member stereotype! I wouldnt peg one as a birder.

My immediate reaction to this was "you've obviously never been to Titchwell", but i see John has beat me to it!

(still love the place though - despite the 'bins still in the case' brigade!)

Mike
 
just returned from tenerife ,had to walk past the swimming pool to get out the front doors of the hotel and if eyes wear flames my back was burning,telescope and bins got them look,thought i was strange because not sun worshiping
 
No, absolutely not. The trouble is that's what people think we look like, and there are enough, frankly, dudes and raspberries out there that do (generally seen travelling in packs by coach), that it remains the birdwatcher stereotype as well. Its no better in the warm weather when the tweeds come off, either: I was up at Titchwell on Tuesday and there were so many elderly types in beige you'd have thought it was Wogan's TOGs convention.

I know what dudes are, but raspberries? Am I right in thinking these are also dudes, but especially ones who wear the hideously bright day-glo gear thus guaranteeing to scare every bird within a 5-mile radius?
As for keeping bins in cases, I have seen that and I wonder how on earth these people get to actually see anything at all.
 
I've always called people who worked for the RSPB 'raspberries'. They sound pretty similar, I suppose. Not sure if that's what John means though.
 
Hi Euan I Am The Same As Your Self But I Have Had It Most Of My Life As I Am 6ft 4ins With Tatoos On My Neck Bald Head 17 Stone So I Know Where U Are Comming From But You Get Used To It And Just Carry On The Way I Look At It If They Are Looking At Me They Are Leaving Others Alone
 
I find that "F*** Off!" usually works well

nicely put joe:clap:

if people stare at me i just ignore them & carry on, i now i'm not doing anything wrong. thay can think whatever they like as far as i'm concerned.

the odd time i get the local idiot come over thinking they know it all, where tbh they now jack sh1t!!!

KEEP UP THE BIRDING!!!
 
I've always called people who worked for the RSPB 'raspberries'. They sound pretty similar, I suppose. Not sure if that's what John means though.

Round our way "raspberries" has always meant RSPB members groups, not RSPB staffers. I think they deserve to be slightly separated from true dudes although they share a few traits and some field characters.

John
 
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