Influences....

What stimulates an interest in Nature?

My first memorable moment was when I was four or five and my parents caught someones pet Jackdaw and shut it in the coal shed so that the owner could collect it.

I was fascinated by this bird and, when the man came to retrieve his bird, he placed it on my shoulder... so for a few minutes I was eye to steely blue eye with a tame Jackdaw. I've had a very soft spot for these smart and intelligent beasts ever since. That was '54 or '55.

Then there were the books that I was allowed to look at once I could read properly. Among these were my father's old schoolday "Rambler" books...

Yes... I've still got them!!

... with easy script and attractive pictures.... but informative. Then I was bought volumes 2 & 3 of the Nature Field Series by H. Trevor Jones, a Warnes series published in 1952, and full of reasonably accurate but heavily precised information.... with pictures of some of the creatures, but not all.... and missing, amongst others, the Kestrel in volume 2 "Birds and Wild Animals".
Volume 3, my other copy was "Insects and Spiders".

The Field Series and page 55 in detail

There followed copies from, perhaps, the most famous Warnes series of books... The Observer's Series...I had the Book of Insects, [also as a set of cards in a folder.... which might actually be in a box in the barn, somewhere], then the Book of Wild Flowers and the Book of Birds.... and then there was the I-Spy Series.... all stimulating....especially the latter with challenges to go and find, rather than being solely an identification aid.

When I visited my Grandfather's house, he had a series of six nature books from the turn of the 20th Century.... these are now mine. The have informative articles on different aspects of Natural History.... and a 'fold-out' dissection in the front of each book!! These were opened carefully for me to look at.... NOT TOUCH! Which is why they are in such good condition now. My father's "Spring" Rambler book has had the black & white line drawings "coloured" by someone using wax crayons.... most probably me!! [Not too badly most of them... but the Larch is a right mess!!]

The spine of Vol 6 and the fold out Swallowtail

And now folded out.... but there is more!

Now the "dissections" are folded open.

Perhaps though the nail in the coffin.... or should that be the icing on the cake, was the boxed copy of Fabre's Book of Insects.
Fabre's writing and observation, carefully translated into English along with some beautiful illustrations, has kept my interest alive throughout the intervening years.... I dip in and out as the mood takes me.

Two of the illustrations are shown here as is the little biography mentioned below.

I was fortunate enough to spot a small biography of Fabre on a stall at the Fête de la Confiture at Abilly in 2011.... this now lives in the box as well!


Then I was bought a membership of the RSPB.... the badge that came with it I still possess and wear.... and my first equipment.... an old pair of opera glasses [magnification x3] and a large lens of around x4 that folded inside a leather case; these in a shoulder bag that had room for a book. No pencil, no notepad.... no one encouraged me to take notes or make sketches.... rather, I was encouraged to remember and describe. But describe "without using the hands".... perhaps paper was expensive in the late 50's... perhaps it was just Dad's way?

But, hey! The sun is shining at last and there is a Kestrel hovering over our potager.... now, where are my "macronoculars"?

Gadwalling around... More from a Grand Day Out

Reed at the Étang Ricot

From Rosnay we drove back towards the Maison de la Nature and the Cherine Nature Reserve [part is also hunted over... this is France!]. A lot of management work has been undertaken in the last couple of years, cutting down an overgrowth of scrub and clearing space into the reserve and this has improved the view considerably... whether or not it was for the hunters or the wildlife, it helps both!

If you are coming from the direction on the Maison du Parc there is, at the bend just before the entrance to le parking for the 'original' hide overlooking Étang Ricot a point where you can pull off the road. This overlooks the Étang de Monmélier, opposite the bulk of the Cherine. The bank of the étang rises quite steeply away from the road to a flat area overlooking the water or, sometimes, mudflat if the lake has been drained.
This is a fabulous spot for a bit of "birding"... we've watched Stilt, Whiskered Terns , Purple Herons and deer at this spot... and the new clearance work gives you a very good view over some of the reed beds and clear water that can't be seen from the hide on the Étang Ricot... look out for harriers working the reed beds.
Étang de Monmélier didn't disappoint on our "Grand Day Out" either.
There were two large groups of Greylag geese in the distance, and we heard, then saw, Wigeon [Anas penelope] Canard siffleur - the whistling duck... there were Shoveler [Anas clypeata] Canard souchet, Pochard [Aythya ferina] Fuligule milouin and Teal [Anas crecca] Sarcelle d'hiver... but the sighting that excited me the most were some Pintail [Anas acuta] Canard pilet [here is a link to a super picture taken in the Brenne]**... my best sighting for around twenty years... they were hidden in the reed when on the water, but were flying around quite a bit; the male looking quite spectacular in the low angle,  harsh, golden sunlight. **[the picture link opens in a separate window.]


We then drove on to the Étang Ricot... and the 'original' hide.

New Étang Ricot board and map of Cherine Reserve.. click to enlarge and read.

There was absolutely nothing about... but the light on the reeds was attractive.

Ricot Reflection [enlarge this]

So we rapidly departed for the Maison de la Nature itself. There was nothing doing in the visible water in front of the big viewing windows of the centre itself, so we bought a new guide on Reptiles an Amphibians and, as that was open, walked down to the hide overlooking Étang Cistude.

Étang Cistude board and map of Cherine Reserve.. click to enlarge and read.

There were a number of people already in there... and there was a lot of activity out on the water... particularly Gadwall [Anas strepera] Canard chipeau. I find these a most attractive bird with their tones of grey, brown and gold. Our attention was drawn by another watcher to some European Pond Terrapins that were trying to get some sun. That, and the way the light was catching the Gadwall, made me decide to go and get the camera... it was in the car as we don't, normally, lug the bag around when we go to the Maison de la Nature and I had binos "in pocket". There was then a "French Ramble" [1.5km route march] to the car and back to the hide.

While Pauline took pictures of the cistudes[Here's the link back], I concentrated on trying to get a good shot of the ducks. They were swimming quite close by and the light was still good.

Gadwall pair... the blue LED light is not a recognition feature!
[Caused by reflection through a water droplet!
They are "dabbling" ducks.]

The male Gadwall... the subtle colouration shows up well here.

I also took pictures of the terrapins... but as they don't really move much, even in warm weather.... there is no point in putting up pictures that are already on the blog!
After a bit more watching we decided it was time to move on to the other new observatory at the Cherine... the Étang de la Sous.