Tuning in and making connections

Covid times - I'm sure none of us miss those times, however, I am struck by some of the things that have entered my life from that time; then by necessity, and now by choice, that absolutely enhance my week. The major one is our Friday night ritual of joining our Jewish community in prayer through Zoom.

So now the in-person services are back, which is great news of course, there is still a core group of us who, for varying reasons - mainly distance from the venue - still log on to Zoom and join in from home. One of the things that has been really really lovely has been the new sense of community that has gently formed between us stalwart Zoom attendees.

Last week, myself and another Anna decided to take it to another level; we arranged a Zoom coffee. It felt like a first date at the beginning, much to both our amusement, but we soon found common ground beyond our religious observances. I was particularly inspired by the story behind the magnificent photos she takes of birds. I was amazed to learn that this was actually quite a new hobby of hers, and it made me wonder what I was missing or doing wrong, not being able to tune in successfully to catch more glimpses or more birds more often.

I'll let Anna tell you her story in her own words - thank you Anna Wood for being the first guest blogger for this Awesome Life!

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Have you ever looked at a feral pigeon - you know, the birds which we commonly see pecking around in our gardens, parks, and city centres? I don't mean have you ever seen a feral pigeon, I mean have you really looked at one? Have you noticed the beautiful iridescent feathers around their neck in green and purple? Have you observed the little white patch above their beak, or the bright orange and yellow eye?

Over the last year I have been undertaking a unique project - to photograph the common birds (and some not so common) that visit my garden.

I didn't come into this project willingly. I am mostly housebound as I suffer from severe ME. I am acutely aware of the invisible bars which limit my life to the few square metres of my house and garden. Those limits make me feel frustrated, trapped. I want to be out in the world. And yet this project has opened up my world in unexpected ways. Photographing birds has forced me to pay close attention to the wildlife around me, and I’ve been surprised and delighted by how varied it is, and by how much joy it has given me. I have seen beauty in things, which in the past, I would not have given a second glance. A house sparrow collecting a feather for its nest, a dunnock singing in a tree, a magpie striking a pose in front of a red van. I have learned to listen to the bird song around me: I have heard baby blue tits and watched them being fed, I’ve heard coal tits and great tits and I’ve even learned how to distinguish between the call of a willow warbler and the call of a chiffchaff. I have been more present than ever before. I have experienced the joy of sitting and watching. I have developed patience.

The result of this year-long project is a book - 25 Birds, One Year One Garden, which features 25 images of birds, all taken from my garden, with accompanying text describing the birds and the challenges I faced in photographing them. All profits go to Action for ME. I hope that it brings the joy of wildlife into peoples homes, and encourages them to stop and look at the nature all around us.

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AnnaD's post script - if you are interested in buying the book (and I highly recommend - it's beautiful and I stocked up for festive gifting) You can buy it on Amazon, hopefully this link will work....

photo courtesy of Anna K Wood

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