Sad state of affairs

[john robinson]

Went searching for water voles in one of the few sites left in Worcestershire today. I asked seven people passing by if they had seen any . Seven peoplwe didn't know what a water vole was.
Something wrong somewhere I reckon.
JohnR
(Found the holes but no voles)

[Colin Key]

Yes, and I remember as a young lad in Cumberland (now called Cumbria or "The Lake District") going out with a jam-jar to collect a few Great-crested Newts (absolutely gorgeous, pre-historic looking creatures) from the ditches where they were numerous to add to my tadpole and young frog and toad collection.

The farmers killed them in their greedy search for higher productivity and the unmonitored use of pesticides.

Colin :cry:

[chris butterworth]

The other side of the coin is, that on the Leeds/Liverpool canal in Bootle - thats one of the less salubrious areas of Liverpool - Water Vole are not only frequent in the middle of town, but most of the dog walkers etc know of them and tend to be rather protective of the voles! Funny old world!!!

[Colin Key]

The other side of the coin is, that on the Leeds/Liverpool canal in Bootle - thats one of the less salubrious areas of Liverpool - Water Vole are not only frequent in the middle of town, but most of the dog walkers etc know of them and tend to be rather protective of the voles! Funny old world!!!

Chris,

I find this little gem of information very encouraging, thank you. I normally associate that area with rather "darker" attitudes to wildlife (or any life in general for that matter!!).

Colin :smile:

[beltonbirder]

Here are some examples of the Public perception of a naturalist.

During the Suffolk flora survey, central Lowestoft was under recorded so this was my main objective. On one of my visits to Bond’s meadow at Oulton, I photographed some Impatiens glandulifera Indian balsam. As soon as I had left the area a gang of children destroyed the whole lot with sticks! At Blundeston I was recording the hedgerow flora when I a car pulled up with the question, “What are you doing?” I explained that I was recording wild flowers. “There are no wild flowers around here only weeds, I don’t believe you, I am calling the Police” They did not arrive but it proves how suspicious folk are when you are involved in a hobby like this.

a botany group i was with were ushered along a road by old people after recording near houses with "Clear off this is private property"

Finally in the same village I was again photographing a plant, this time a single white flowered Hyacinthoides non scripta. Bluebell. A resident came out and immediately pulled it up. When I queried his action he said “We don’t want everyone coming to see that plant you know, cars up here all day long!”
I am also a birder. I carry by telescope and tripod on my shoulder and have my binoculars around my neck. One afternoon I was walking through my local park and I saw parents get their children off the swings and pulled them near and away as I passed, I thought nothing of it until I reached the park entrance to be met by the Police who had been called to a man walking in the park with a gun!


Even walking through woodland has it’s drawbacks. When walking through my local wood I often see women turn and walk the other way. I once heard to dog walkers saying “See that man walking through there, he must be up to no good he does not have a dog with him and he keeps looking in the trees with binoculars”

When my scope is in use I get comments like. “ have you taken some nice photographs?” or “Excuse me why are you shooting the ducks?”
But the one that gets my goat is “Oh I know what birds you like, not the feathered kind eh!”

The most common is “Oh are you a twitcher?”
Finally I was birding on my local marshes when I saw a lone woman with a dog walk towards me. I stepped off the path before her approach to let her pass but the dog ran up and bit me on the arm. When I remonstrated with her she replied. “Sorry the dog thought you were someone else”

Children seem particularly cruel, either by throwing stones at you, bashing at the undergrowth ahead of you or asking when they see your camera “Aye wanna take a picture of me?”

These events are true and seem to be common place but why should I let this behaviour stop me doing what I enjoy.
Being a Naturalist in urban areas produces much of interest to me but I do find that members of the public can be so ignorant at times.

[Cellarman]

A pond was created outside the "Wildlife Centre" at Carsington Water reservoir here in Derbyshire. I have regularly seen water voles there.

[MichaelF]

I photographed some Impatiens glandulifera Indian balsam. As soon as I had left the area a gang of children destroyed the whole lot with sticks!
Obviously volunteers working for BTCV clearing this damaging invasive weed . . . :ohdear:

[FayJ]

People can be incredibly thick. I have been birding along a road with other members of our local bird group when cars have come along and the moronic occupants have sounded the horn in an attempt to scare away the birds. It's not as if it is an attempt to warn us we are in the road - we weren't - the drivers and their passengers were just trying to be - as they saw it - funny; or, as we saw it, cretinous.

As for little brats throwing stones, tell them to get lost.

Here are some examples of the Public perception of a naturalist.

During the Suffolk flora survey, central Lowestoft was under recorded so this was my main objective. On one of my visits to Bond’s meadow at Oulton, I photographed some Impatiens glandulifera Indian balsam. As soon as I had left the area a gang of children destroyed the whole lot with sticks! At Blundeston I was recording the hedgerow flora when I a car pulled up with the question, “What are you doing?” I explained that I was recording wild flowers. “There are no wild flowers around here only weeds, I don’t believe you, I am calling the Police” They did not arrive but it proves how suspicious folk are when you are involved in a hobby like this.

a botany group i was with were ushered along a road by old people after recording near houses with "Clear off this is private property"

Finally in the same village I was again photographing a plant, this time a single white flowered Hyacinthoides non scripta. Bluebell. A resident came out and immediately pulled it up. When I queried his action he said “We don’t want everyone coming to see that plant you know, cars up here all day long!”
I am also a birder. I carry by telescope and tripod on my shoulder and have my binoculars around my neck. One afternoon I was walking through my local park and I saw parents get their children off the swings and pulled them near and away as I passed, I thought nothing of it until I reached the park entrance to be met by the Police who had been called to a man walking in the park with a gun!


Even walking through woodland has it’s drawbacks. When walking through my local wood I often see women turn and walk the other way. I once heard to dog walkers saying “See that man walking through there, he must be up to no good he does not have a dog with him and he keeps looking in the trees with binoculars”

When my scope is in use I get comments like. “ have you taken some nice photographs?” or “Excuse me why are you shooting the ducks?”
But the one that gets my goat is “Oh I know what birds you like, not the feathered kind eh!”

The most common is “Oh are you a twitcher?”
Finally I was birding on my local marshes when I saw a lone woman with a dog walk towards me. I stepped off the path before her approach to let her pass but the dog ran up and bit me on the arm. When I remonstrated with her she replied. “Sorry the dog thought you were someone else”

Children seem particularly cruel, either by throwing stones at you, bashing at the undergrowth ahead of you or asking when they see your camera “Aye wanna take a picture of me?”

These events are true and seem to be common place but why should I let this behaviour stop me doing what I enjoy.
Being a Naturalist in urban areas produces much of interest to me but I do find that members of the public can be so ignorant at times.

[NicoleB]

I had to translate Vole in my little smart book.
People don't know what that is?

In Korea people got used to me and my camera pretty quick and weren't bothered at all.
In Kuwait people honk for other reasons than to scare the birds, but it's as annoying.
And in Hungary? Nobody really gives a darn. Not about nature either though :(

[Ditch]

I was birding on my local marshes when I saw a lone woman with a dog walk towards me. I stepped off the path before her approach to let her pass but the dog ran up and bit me on the arm. When I remonstrated with her she replied. “Sorry the dog thought you were someone else”


Sorry, BeltonBirder; While I understand and sympathise with much of what ye saying there ..... That bit just made me snigger.

Surely ye must wonder about the story behind that? :laugh: