Disconnecting to Reconnect

I've been reveling in the glorious colours of autumn over the past week or so. It's really one of the best displays of turning leaves I've seen in a long while! Driving down the A24 is a real treat at the moment, with the bordering trees either side showing an array of golds, reds and russets that look stunning in the sunshine.

I spent the morning at Pulborough Brooks as a hides and trails volunteer again. This is the first time I've gone out on my own as I've had Graham, a much more experienced and knowledgeable volunteer, showing me the ropes these past few weeks. I was glad of the chance to see how I got on with identifying trickier species without a seasoned birder to help me. Of course, I had my Collins guide tucked in my backpack but I didn't need it today. So far I've been lucky with the weather on the days I've been on the reserve and today was particularly lovely; what I'd call a proper autumn day. There were a few raptors about, including a couple of sparrowhawks and male kestrels, and one female peregrine bathing in a small pool in front of Winpenny hide.

That is a peregrine-I promise! These terrible photos were snapped on my phone through the scope.

I had an especially close encounter with a pair of goldcrests which were busy picking insects of leaves only a couple of feet above me. I was close enough to see the reflection in their eyes and that fantastic streak of yellow on their heads. They weren't fazed at all by me stood so near which is pretty unusual for what is normally a very shy bird!

At Hanger View, I stood with a group of visitors and watched two healthy-looking male bullfinches flicking between the sloes. A buzzard circled over the pools for a while but was seen off by a rather brave and determined lapwing. From Nettley's hide, I managed to identify five black-tailed godwits which I was pleased with as I'd never seen them in the flesh before, although I knew they were about having checked the sightings book when I arrived. Myself and the visitors in the hide also picked out three snipe with some difficulty; boy, those birds blend in! It certainly helped to have the scope with me.

Fuzzy Snipe.

Wigeon

Black-tailed Godwits

When I got back to the visitor's centre, it occurred to me that, apart from taking a few photos, I had just spent four hours completely away from technology. I'll openly admit that I use my phone far too much normally and it's become one of those bad habits that I hate but find very hard to break. Part of the reason I use social media a lot is to do with my portrait business as I always have messages to reply to and I don't like to leave those too long. However, I know full well that I check Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/Insert preferred platform here too many times in a day and it's something I try hard to avoid. The fact that I didn't once feel the need to hop online while I was out and about on the reserve today proves that I am capable of cutting back. I actually felt really good about having been off grid for a short while and just spending time in the fresh air doing something I genuinely enjoyed, something that didn't involve a screen. 

Featured in Etc. Magazine

If you follow my Facebook page or are one of the few who read this blog, you will know I recently did an interview for Etc. Magazine. Well, the issue I am featured in is now live on their website and the hard copy of the magazine is out soon, and yesterday I got to see the finished piece.

You can read the full interview at this link, just look for pages 109-111. Apart from the rather unflattering photo on the first page (I've never liked my arms!) I'm really pleased with it! The journalist asked for some examples of my work and I sent a large selection over but I never imagined they would include so many pieces. That is a bonus really as it shows a good variety and proves I don't just draw dogs!

I can't wait to get my hands on a hard copy at some point next week (hopefully) then it will feel real. Let me know if you have read the article and what you thought about it!

Cyber Support Network

**Apologies if the end of this post turns a little gushy!**

The reality of our era is that we all spend A LOT of time online. I'm certainly guilty of using several different social media outlets frequently but in my defence, the majority of time I spend on them is for business purposes. I promise that isn't an excuse; it is genuinely the case. I would say maybe 20% of my time on Facebook is personal and the rest is all spent replying to enquiries and comments on my business page or sharing progress photos. All useful and important stuff, in my eyes.

As for Twitter and Instagram, they are purely business and have been invaluable sources to me in that respect. I always swore I would NEVER join either of them, but I have discovered that I would simply have been shooting myself in the foot if I had continued to be stubborn, as all three of these sites combined have provided an incredible source of support for me. I have spent a lot of time networking and creating a small following of loyal fans, several of whom I have become good friends with. It seems strange saying that about people you have never met in the flesh, but it's the truth; at least, I feel comfortable enough to say that about them, they might not feel the same!

Working from home has it's pros and cons (a post on that coming soon), one of the cons being that it can get quite lonely working by yourself and when you hit a low point with your work, as I often do, that's the moment when you wish you worked in a bustling office where you can simply turn to your neighbour, vent your frustrations and receive some kind words and helpful advice in return. I have discovered that having a small network of fellow artists/designers/crafters just a few clicks away has really helped to fill that gap.

I find I am chatting to the same people everyday which is just lovely and the more I have been chatting, the more I have felt able to call them friends! They understand exactly where I'm coming from when I say that something hasn't gone to plan or I've spent the day procrastinating and got nothing done. I suddenly remember that there are hundreds of others out there going through exactly the same thing every day and I don't feel quite so isolated. Being able to chat about things that aren't related to work too, now that's the best part and what really makes you feel you're talking to friends.

It would be lovely to one day meet up with some, if not all of these lovely cyber friends in the future. There are often creative events organised designed for this very idea but so far, I've been unable to make any of them! Still, it's truly warming to know there's a friendly bunch of people willing to put up with me and my ramblings-you all know who you are ;-)