Rare Birds, True Style: Extraordinary Interiors and Signature Looks

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Poetry POETRY [jsb_filter_by_tags count="15" show_more="10" sort_by="tag_list" tag_list="modern-and-contemporary-poetry-c-1900-onwards,20th-century-c-1900-to-c-1999,19th-century-c-1800-to-c-1899,classic-and-pre-20th-century-poetry,literary-essays,ancient-classical-and-medieval-texts,poetry-by-individual-poets,ireland,united-kingdom-great-britain,united-states-of-america-usa,diaries-letters-and-journals,italian,mysticism,musical-scores-lyrics-and-libretti,literature-history-and-criticism,coping-with-death-and-bereavement,narrative-theme-social-issues,german,gender-studies-women-and-girls,nature-and-the-natural-world-general-interest,individual-artists-art-monographs,social-discrimination-and-equal-treatment,popular-music,islamic-groups-sufis,japan,scotland,c-1000-ce-to-c-1500,first-world-war,russian,history-of-art,us-northeast-new-england,books-about-writers,christianity,social-and-cultural-history,traditional-stories-myths-and-fairy-tales,european-history-medieval-period-middle-ages,plays-playscripts,ancient-classical-greek,ancient-sagas-and-epics,celtic-religion-and-mythology,south-and-south-east-england,london-greater-london,books-about-books,prints-and-printmaking,middle-east"] It's this last modus operandi of my birdwatching being I am concerned with here. I am well aware, as I write, that some of you are not at all concerned about how many 'rare' or 'unusual' species you might find in a year. If you are a 'scientist' or a 'conservationist' or a 'garden-bird spotter' you may well be piqued at the attention given to all this rare-bird nonsense that goes on up and down the country as increasing numbers of birders turn what ought to be a passive hobby in to something of a sport. I am not altogether inclined to disagree with you. Again, more than one approach can work in the same situation. If you are having trouble finding birds when moving patiently and slowly: stop! Let fly! Try moving impatiently and dynamically. Like most of us who watch birds, I'd hope, my interest in our fine feathered friends covers many levels. I like common birds; and, as anyone who has read some of my articles on BirdGuides will know by now, I can, at turns, be unabashedly sentimental and poetic in my appreciations; I twitch (on occasion: not nearly as much as I used to); and I value the rare bird hunt as much as the next man (or woman.)

However, I do contend, that any interest in birds whatsoever, is agreeable; and hunting down birds for the satisfaction of being able to find and identify them is surely far more acceptable than the old-style hunting to kill? Catch me on a loquacious evening with a couple of pints inside me and I might go on to tell you how I think the very act of observation of birds is a testament to the evolution of man's consciousness (bringing meaning to creation, or something equally far-fetched!). But for now, I'll just say that those of us who do go out looking for rarities are usually involved, or go on to become involved, in actual concrete ways of helping to preserve places for birds and other wildlife. Window Box OUR WINDOW BOX Spilling with new favourites, old friends, and pleasures to come Temptations from the shop window, a show case for the new and outstanding, and a handful of surprises. [jsb_filter_by_tags count="15" show_more="10" sort_by="total_products"/] Semipalmated Sandpiper: Ballycotton, Co. Cork The regular finding of rare and scarce birds is an art form, and that's why some birders can do it again and again ( photo: Michael O'Keeffe). Cot Valley: Cornwall Geography dictates that the life of the rare-bird finder is easier for some than others ( photo: Len). Art ART [jsb_filter_by_tags count="15" show_more="10" sort_by="tag_list" tag_list="individual-artists-art-monographs,exhibition-catalogues-and-specific-collections,biography-general,renaissance-style,modernism,impressionism,post-impressionism,20th-century-c-1900-to-c-1999,later-20th-century-c-1950-to-c-1999,early-20th-century-c-1900-to-c-1950,19th-century-c-1800-to-c-1899,18th-century-c-1700-to-c-1799,italy,united-kingdom-great-britain,women-in-art,paintings-and-painting,sculpture,prints-and-printmaking,drawing-and-drawings,portraits-and-self-portraiture-in-art,architecture,nature-in-art,theory-of-art,social-and-cultural-history,literary-essays,illustration,baroque,romanticism,france,east-asia-far-east,russia,pop-art,art-financial-aspects,individual-designers-or-design-groups,individual-photographers,17th-century-c-1600-to-c-1699,16th-century-c-1500-to-c-1599,c-1000-ce-to-c-1500,paintings-and-painting-in-watercolours-or-pastels,united-states-of-america-usa,diaries-letters-and-journals,biography-arts-and-entertainment,asian-history,expressionism,ceramics-mosaic-and-glass-artworks"]

Rare Birds, True Style

Rare Birds, True Style: Extraordinary Interiors, Personal Collections & Signature Looks Author Violet Naylor-Leyland, Photographs by Andrew Farrar

I've been a rare bird hunter for the last twenty years—ever since I bunked off school one spring afternoon and had four Cranes flying low over my head on my old patch in Whitburn in the northeast of England. As well as twitching, and enjoying local familiar birds, I've put a lot of time and effort, and engaged in numerous conversations with other 'finders' about how to get the most return out of 'The Search'. Recently, I've moved to Ireland—Cork City, to be precise, with its access roads to many of Ireland's most famous birdwatching destinations: Ballycotton, the Old Head of Kinsale, Cape Clear and so on—and what has surprised me, personally, is that although I get out a lot less than I used to in England, my ratio of scarce birds per hour in the field has increased quite dramatically. Perennials PERENNIALS constant friends A selection of novels, memoirs and more by some of our favourite authors. [jsb_filter_by_tags count="15" show_more="10" sort_by="total_products"/] We are experiencing delays with deliveries to many countries, but in most cases local services have now resumed. For more details, please consult the latest information provided by Royal Mail's International Incident Bulletin. Pallas's Warbler: Crossley, Cheshire Easterlies on the east coast in late-October—more than a fair chance of connecting with this super sprite ( photo: Steve Round).

Author

Violet Naylor-Leyland is a freelance fashion stylist, journalist, and writer. She has written for numerous magazines, including Vanity Fair, the Lady, Tatler, Bloomberg Businessweek, and the Evening Standard. This is her first book. Andrew Farrar is a London-based photographer. Hiswork has appeared in Vogue, Elle, Nylon, Tatler, the Sunday Times Style,and Marie Claire. Biography, Letters & Diaries BIOGRAPHY, LETTERS & DIARIES [jsb_filter_by_tags count="15" show_more="10" sort_by="tag_list" tag_list="memoirs,diaries-letters-and-journals,biography-writers,autobiography-writers,literary-studies-fiction-novelists-and-prose-writers,biography-arts-and-entertainment,autobiography-arts-and-entertainment,social-and-cultural-history,european-history,family-history-tracing-ancestors,political-leaders-and-leadership,literary-studies-poetry-and-poets,20th-century-c-1900-to-c-1999,19th-century-c-1800-to-c-1899,18th-century-c-1700-to-c-1799,feminism-and-feminist-theory,reportage-journalism-or-collected-columns,biography-royalty,england,united-states-of-america-usa,france,russia,italy,asian-history,london-greater-london,germany,middle-east,relating-to-jewish-people-and-groups,the-holocaust,european-history-medieval-period-middle-ages,second-world-war,c-1919-to-c-1939-inter-war-period,c-1910-to-c-1919,espionage-and-secret-services,far-left-political-ideologies-and-movements,biography-business-and-industry,history-of-art,individual-artists-art-monographs,travel-writing,ireland,nature-and-the-natural-world-general-interest,literary-essays,true-crime,biography-religious-and-spiritual,biography-science-technology-and-medicine"] These days, it seems, we are supposed to know everything about every bird that has ever turned up in the British Isles. We're concerned about our reputation as 'good birders'. 'Have you read the latest paper?' 'Do you get Dutch Birding?' 'What colour were its lesser coverts?'

I always loved forming little businesses,’ he says. It was during this endeavour that he met British architect, Ben Pentreath, who took him on to work at his design firm in the interiors department. I asked why, after four years of studying fashion, he gravitated towards interiors. ‘I loved drawing, styling, and creating stories, but I hated making clothes. I was really bad at it, as I got older, I realised the fashion world, at least in the full-time sense, was not for me.’ But for now, let me assume you are looking for some tips on how to get more out of your birding. Let me confess...much of this article was written last September soon after I came across Ireland's second Booted Warbler at Ballycotton (and found a Citrine Wagtail the same day!) and my confidence was high. Then, having manoeuvred the whole of last October off work I went on to find...nothing; and decided I was best off keeping schtum! Thanks to the timely appearance of a juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper at Ballycotton recently (more on that later), I am able to cast off my inhibitions and, hopefully, give (some) readers the benefit of my experience. Now I have a friend—Paul Cook. Some of you may remember him from Kaikoura Seabird Spectacular. He's found Red-flanked Bluetail, two Pallid Swifts, Isabelline Shrike, Red-eyed Vireo, Booted Warbler, and so on. I've learned a lot from Paul's approach to rare bird finding. Paul doesn't suffer. Some of us who used to take ourselves too seriously in Cape May where Paul and I lived for a couple of years thought he wasn't really a proper birder because he wasn't out every day, but he is...when he wants to be!

Pairing gorgeous photos of interiors with engaging interviews with each subject, Naylor-Leyland shares how her subjects private spaces cultivate unique ways of living, working, and socialising. Bobolink: Prawle Point, Devon During migration periods anything is possible, anywhere, and you'll always see more in the field rather than sat at home! ( Photo: Paul Nunn). Now forgive me here if it begins to sound like I'm blowing a trumpet of any sorts, because it's not what I intend to. Remember, finding rare birds, in the long run, is not really that much of any grand importance at all and it's just a bit of fun, really. Serious fun, maybe...but definitely just Fun.