What other hobbies do birders have? (1 Viewer)

[NoSpringChicken]

Phew! I was afraid to ask 'cos I thought it was something rude.

I think you are getting mixed up with Viz mag which is something completely different!

Ron

 

[NoSpringChicken]

I have come to the conclusion that I am incapable of maintaining an interest in more than one hobby at a time now and that my relationship with hobbies is 'serial monogamy' amounting to obsession.

In the past a good deal of my time was spent sailing racing dinghies, which has resulted in some extremely dodgy joints now. I have also taken on various interests such as camping, gardening, keeping tropical fish, diy, home brewing and messing round with cars. Most of these have gradually fallen by the wayside, although I still do a bit of gardening. I am also virtually teetotal too now so that even knocks real ale off the list!

My present 'obsession' is watching and photographing birds. I think and hope it will last and I just wish I had started earlier so that I could be better at it than I am.

Ron

 

[Rob Smallwood]

If the 2000+ visitors to this thread had all opened the link on my post (59), the video (awful as it is!) would have rocketed on to the front page of Youtube, been picked up by a record company and I would now be typing my letter of resignation.

Oh well, back to the day job....||

 

[DunnoKev]

If the 2000+ visitors to this thread had all opened the link on my post (59), the video (awful as it is!) would have rocketed on to the front page of Youtube, been picked up by a record company and I would now be typing my letter of resignation.

Oh well, back to the day job....||

Well I watched it Rob! And I thought the same as you - back to the day job...



(Oh before you stick pins in that doll of me I really ought to say this work 'puter doesn't have sound...)

 

[Rob Smallwood]

That is by far the best way to listen!!

 

[graeme782]

That is by far the best way to listen!!

Indeed, although to be fair, there were much better efforts than the Dr Hook cover.

I am of course only jealous, it's the guitar for me too, although it's some time since i played in a band. It's one of those things i keep meaning to get round to again. I tinker around on the acoustic these days, just polished off a couple of Def Lep and Nightranger tunes and i could probably manage the full Bon Jovi back catalogue.

Long live 80's poodle rock. :t::t::t:

 

[Lisa W]

My work is birds, and work commitments mean I miss out on a favourite aspect which I'd love to take up again - viz migging. Haven't done it properly since '04 and get withdrawl symptoms every autumn.
Ok, just have to ask for a translation of "viz migging". Please ?????

Lisa.....'Viz mig' is UK birder speak shorthand for visible migration......one of the more incomprehensible jargon words; sad isn't it? (sorry Kev) 'Viz migging' is actually deliberatly going out to watch birds on migration. It's a term I've never quite brought myself to use but lots do.

Hi Lisa, Joanne's fairly much nailed it - but not sold it! It's pitching yourself up at a vantage point (usually coastal but if there are known inland routes they work just as well) pre dawn and settling in for several hours of scanning for flocks of birds on the move. A bit like a raptor watchpoint without the smelly ol' raptors really - much more fun to try to suss out tiny brown specks hurrying past... Try it, you'll lurrrrvv it.

(And Joanne, if you don't like saying 'viz mig' you could always used a term coined by one of the old Kent robo-birders - 'miz vig'... or 'miserable vigilance'... just about sums the quiet days up!!)

Joanne and Kev,
Thanks for the translation. Makes perfect sense now it has been explained.
Lisa

 

[kristoffer]

Birding is nr1 one now but also like beer and clubbing, poker, aquariums, dogs, gadgets, online games like diablo2 hardcore!, wildlife, documentary's, politics etc. I am a man of many interests!

And of course fountain pens! (like someone in Sweden doesn't collect em).

 

[matt green]

Anglo-oriental contemporary studio pottery ..or arty farty pots that cost hundreds/thousands of pounds a pop!!

Had a handfull of nice works in the past by a couple of the big names in british studio ceramics (Phil Rogers/Jim Malone etc) but sadly these all found there way to dealers in time of financial ''difficulty'' ....would still love to make a living out of pottery making though!!!

Also try to take half decent pics every now and then....

Matt

 

[CrimsonTopaz]

Im a bit boring but my other hobbies are sketching/painting ect, astronomy, reading crime novels and i like reserching stuff and i enjoy the odd B now and again...|=)|

 

[chris butterworth]

Are they affected by Colony Collapse Disorder? Quite a growing problem here in the US.

Didn't that start in 1776?:t:

 

[chris butterworth]

Phew! I was afraid to ask 'cos I thought it was something rude.

I was hoping it was someting rude!!!! Nice to see that few birders are bu**ering about with golf, can't see the point in hitting your balls with a stick all day!:eek!:

 

[Lisa W]

Ahh, since we are degenerating:

I was hoping it was someting rude!!!! Nice to see that few birders are bu**ering about with golf, can't see the point in hitting your balls with a stick all day!:eek!:

For some of us (women) it is really enjoyable!

 

[daveofficer]

mainly photography i guess though not sure if that counts as a hobby as it's my career too. i used to play guitar in a couple of bands up here but gave that up earlier this year as i was getting married and was spending too much time at work to take it seriously.

other than those it's just computer games, reading and wasting time on the internet. when not out getting drunk of course

 

[JeffMoh]

Hobbies

Birding and blogging (mainly) about birding take up most of my spare time. My birding blog is: www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

Much of what is left goes on gardening, being entertained by US politics, and reading.

My hobbies used to be archaeology and photography, but there isn't much of archaeological interest in Texas and most of my photography these days revolves around birds.

You can see some of my photos from when I lived in Libya and Beirut at: www.imagesofnorthafrica.blogspot.com

 

[Floyd Barnes]

Beekeeping, Koi Carp, electric Guitar (blues / rock) & visiting Arboreatums.
Quality pursuits one and all.
Floyd

 

[ausmar]

In winter i combine birding with long hikes, in summer i do a lot of swimming (well who doesn't down here), going out with friends of course, handball, music, lazing about, sleeping and eating! and nearly forgot photography!

 

[Jaff]

Whenever I play golf nobodies balls are safe!

 

[Peewit]

Whenever I play golf nobodies balls are safe!

LOL Interesting to know what people do with their spare time.

My hobbies are birdwatching first and foremost, walking, wildlife in general, reading, socialising with my friends over the net. I love to meet new people and enjoy interaction with people. Not a wallflower, and do not lack words to say by any means o

OH loves bikes, planes and boys stuff of all types away from birdwatching.

Hate to say this but my lifetime friends are from my old environmental group (used to spend Sunday doing lots to improve nature reserves) and we are still in touch 30 plus later with a few grey hairs attached, wrinkles, children, and all matter of bodily changes LOL Scarey when we all grow old together. We are wiser that is the main thing

Kathy
x

 

[Vectis Birder]

Whenever I play golf nobodies balls are safe!

When I used to surf I spent a lot of time in Cornwall (the UK's surfing capital) and myself and my friends used to have to cross a golf course to get to the beach, as the public footpath ran across it. To say we took our lives in our hands is an understatement - we all got dings in our boards from errant golf balls and I know of at least one person hit in the head. What with the dog poo littering the course as well, it was a hideous path to take. :-C