The SRPB ,or Society for the Restoration of Proper Birding, is a well-established group of Proper Birders, with its own magazine " Proper Birding" and a membership of some 470 proper birders. Well, they say they are. How would I know ? If you want to be a member, it's dead easy... you just have to agree with at least half of these life-style choices ... [a] .... you wear plus-fours on most birding outings. [b] ... you don't do anything scientific. [c] .... especially surveys, counts or bio-blitzes, whatever they are. [d].... you do not subscribe to British Birds. [e].... you are not young. [f] ... you don't approve of children of any sort. [g].... you don't like many adults either. [h]... all your optics are ancient and useless. [i] ... your telescope weighs more than your dog. [j] ... you know nothing about subspecies. [k] .. you don't believe in evolution. [l] ... or global warming. [m] ... or A Question of Sport. [n] .... you write your birding diary in Latin. [o] ... and in fountain pen. [p] ... your birding hero is Viscount Grey of Falloden. [q] ... you know nothing about gulls. [r] ... or sibes. [s] .. or reverse migration. [t] ... or genetic drift. [u] ... or stochastic population shifts. [v].... you have a life-size cardboard replica of Michaela Strachan in the shed. [w]... or, for the ladies, it could be of Chris Packham. [x] ... you've tried to visit Snettisham, but you've never managed to find it. [y]... the same happened with Benacre Broad, but it took you longer. [z] .... you still keep looking for the Beach Cafe at Cley. But you can't find it. Ever. So.. that's easy enough ... tick 13 or more of those and you're in. RPBS ... real people. beautiful songs ... see what I did there ... and the Real Music is delivered by Ben Gibbard of DCFC .. " Black Sun " The Significant Otter always refuses to listen to, or watch, any music I recommend ... and it's probably a good thing, because she'd fall in love with him after about one-hundredth of a second !
.... and I couldn't really blame her.
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AuthorThat's the author up there ... I was young and sprightly then. Archives
October 2022
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