How to Birdwatch Successfully

Take one grey rainy Saturday with nothing to do. Add a text from a lovely friend with binoculars and a shared passion for birds. Get in your car and go search for bird hides whilst commenting that the rain is like 'fairy piss'. Don't forget to pack some essentials:

Lots of notebooks

Pens, pencils, charcoal and crayons

Into The Wild (book)

Egg mayo sandwiches from the Deli

A sore heart and heavy mind

Camera

Imagination

Coins for the carpark

Mobile phone turned to silent

Wellies (not needed)

Talk, watch, learn and soak up the peace whilst your hands get cold and your mind full.

Talk to the birdwatching man about why all the birds on the beach are suddenly flying and look through his very powerful piece of equipment at the sparrow hawk tearing apart its catch.

Come back stare at the bathroom wall and get inspired. Revist your pictures, realise you need a nice camera and resort to google:

'flying flock of birds sillouette'

Print, resise and cut out birds. Stick them to the wall with BluTack until they look pretty.

Print final pictures onto card to make stencils.

Get tired and decide to paint in the morning...

To be continued...