About | The Wild File

Early Bird Memories, UK

When I was a boy my favourite haunt was The Meadows around the River Mersey flood plain that bordered the Manchester suburbs of Wythenshawe and Chorlton-cum-Hardy. I accessed the meadows on summer days from behind the housing estate adjacent to Sale Road and was soon in a countryside of water meadows, wetland, ploughed fields and narrow lanes bordered by hedgerows. I remember the lapwings with their “peewit” alarm call swooping and diving above my head and the grass lined scrape amongst the furrows with three or four beautifully mottled and camouflaged eggs neatly arranged with the pointed ends meeting in the centre in perfect symmetry. It was always thrilling to find a nest. Skylarks, reed buntings, bullfinches, linnets, meadow pipits, goldfinches and curlews all raised their young in The Meadows and their abundance was a fact of nature as inevitable as the changing seasons. But the housing estates grew and The Meadows dwindled. Lapwing, skylark and curlew were soon relegated to remoter moorlands, the reed buntings are under siege in ever shrinking wetlands and linnets and bullfinches struggle to find hedgerows and thickets, erased to make space for the vast agri-deserts needed for intensive agriculture. Many once common birds are now classifed as threatened or near threatened.

Bird Photography

Observing and photographing birds are now a passion. Observation came first but I realised that I could not rely on my memory in the field to accurately identify species often glimpsed briefly. I wanted to accurately name the bird I was observing and acquire more background information. Photographs were the answer and so I carry my camera and telephoto lens wherever I travel and I have collected a library of pictures taken in the countries I have lived in or visited. The birds became more than portraits. Information about habitat and behaviour began to feature in many of my compositions. I share my experiences and hopefully my exhilaration and sense of wonder on this website. Fortunately there are places on the planet where there is still an abundance of bird life in natural environments. For how long is another matter.

Wildfile Aims

Although originally intended to provide a platform for photographs, The Wild File now has more expansive aims. It is primarily an educational site for anyone who has an interest in birds although the appeal to the veteran bird watcher may be limited. I hope also it will prove of use to teachers from upper primary to middle secondary school and beyond. There are two key themes that link the six sections of the site. The first is a conviction that the diversity of avian life on our planet is the outcome of an evolutionary process over millions of years. The second is a hearfelt belief in the value and importance of the natural world and unreserved support for a conservation policy predicated on the assumption that wildlife has as much right to survive and thrive as homo sapiens. Hopefully, thewildfile shares knowledge that leads to understanding which in turn promotes empathy for birds and wildlife in general. In conclusion, as thewildfile has evolved, text has become increasingly important as a supplement to photographs. I hope the reader finds the result worth the additional effort.

Site Layout

Each of the 6 sections in the main body of the site deals with a different aspect of bird life and ends with an Activity Centre which includes a quiz and a range of differentiated activities aimed at encouraging further involvement. In addition, the country search engine provides a more comprehensive collection of bird photographs and interactive sound recordings and provides information on range, habitat, diet, breeding behaviour and other interesting facts. If you wish to acquire quality copies of any of my photographs please contact me. The website photographs are low resolution to save memory and keep the site working quickly.

Please note that this is a work in progress. I continue to live and travel overseas and with thousands of species I have yet to meet, I hope to make this site a life long project.

DavidCox

I would like ot thank Pamela Rasmussen at Michigan State University for the use of her extensive library of bird song recordings.