Author Archives: Bo Beolens

This article first appeared in the December 2023 edition of Birdwatching Magazine Whoever thought that the ‘cancel culture’ would impact birders? Maybe I should have expected it as ostriches are falsely supposed to bury their heads in the sand. ‘Cancelling’ … Continue reading →

This article first appeared in the November 2023 issue of Birdwatching Magazine “Water, Water every where, nor any drop to drink…” so said Coleridge in the Rime of the Ancient Mariner. Of course he was talking about becalmed mariners driven mad … Continue reading →

This article first appeared in the November 2023 edition of Birdwatching Magazine “Kronk” said the obliging Raven passing overhead. Hawkeye and I watched it into the distance as it seemed to hiccup in flight every time it called. Lovely. It … Continue reading →

This article first appeared in the October 2023 edition of Birdwatching Magazine They say that the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and that no good deed goes unpunished. Providence seems reluctant to give a sucker an even … Continue reading →

This article first appeared in the Autumn 2023 edition of Birdwatching Magazine The southeast of this country has 85% of the world’s chalk streams… a higher percentage of special habitat than Peru has cloud forest and rarer than Madagascar’s dry … Continue reading →

This article first appeared in the September 2023 edition of Birdwatching Magazine “Is that a Marsh Frog?” I asked Hawkeye as we sat on the viewing ramp overlooking the vast reedbeds of a local reserve. “Nope” came a voice behind … Continue reading →

Who Guides the Tour Guide This article first appeared in Birds Illustrated I’ve been lucky enough to go on a several foreign birding forays, some self-directed, sometimes leading others, and sometimes being part of a professionally led group and I … Continue reading →

The Carrier Bag flew off over the Orchard  This article first appeared in Birds Illustrated I am writing this in my study with the window open wide and the fan full on wafting warm air over my ample and over … Continue reading →

They also bird who only stand and wait…  This article first appeared in Birds Illustrated One of the most fundamental division of birders is into those who chase and those who wait; with the number of the former far outweighing … Continue reading →

To boldly go, where no field guide has been written before… This article first appeared in Birds Illustrated Mustn’t grumble – was the oft repeated cry of the pre-war Brit; all stoicism and stiff upper lip. Then the post war … Continue reading →