For me the greatest treasure in the world is nature. Human beings have created magnificent treasures in architecture, literature, crafts and fine arts but for me nothing compares to the treasures of wonderful landscapes, forests, the seas and the skies. My favourite natural treasures are probably birds. For all that I love plants and animals (especially rabbits) birds are what endlessly fascinate me. The UK is lucky to have a great variety of beautiful and interesting birds (if you want to find out more about our birds, a great place to start is the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds which has a great online field guide to British birds.) Some of my favourite bird singhtings include: kingfishers (surprisingly often) on rivers in Edinburgh, waxwings on one of their rare visits to Edinburgh a few years ago (read my poem about them here), spending twenty minutes watching a green woodpecker digging out a hole in a tree in woodlands in Edinburgh, Finding sand martins nesting on a river just outside Edinburgh, a fish eagle that lived in a tree behind the house where I lived in Malawi, a hoopoe on a lawn in Malawi and a secretary bird building a nest in Zimbabwe. I could go on....
You can read more about some of my nature observations here.
For a different kind of treasure, I recently reviewed a treasure of a poetry book here.
Treasure for Writers Island
We are hosting at LIP a tribute fo Anna Piutti ..hope u can join us ...http://www.livinginpoetry.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteGosh the Hoopoe is a stunning looking bird while the Secretary bird is a very unique looking one. I would love to see a Waxwing up close - they are a beautiful bird. I too have an unusual interest in birds and have even managed to keep reasonably close company with a Blue Heron who no longer takes off when the dog and I approach - we have spent many an hour in his silent company.
ReplyDeleteI am with you... I love nature and am really focusing on the beauty of winter . Great post.
ReplyDeleteHi Nasra - I enjoyed reading the interview, thanks for letting me know.
ReplyDeleteJanice - I love herons too, we have a lot in and around Edinburgh
inlandempiregirl - I've enjoyed your winter photos on your blog
hello there juliet, i agree with you there, nature is definitely the greatest treasure, wins hands down every time!
ReplyDeletewould love to be better at spotting birds, have to admit that i'm totally dumb on the matter, sadly. still, never too late to learn, right?
all the best, nà
I so agree with you Juliet, I just love birds, what would the garden be without them? I was so lucky yesterday as I was sitting on the PC, I happened to look out of the window, and saw a robin, thrush and wren all in a few seconds of each other, you couldn't wish for a more lovely sight. x
ReplyDeleteI do love birds and animals, but the world is not being so kind at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI posted too about treasure, but of a different kind.
ahhh!! nature is definitely a great treasure...my boy is an ardent bird watcher...can identify birds and there are times i wonder whether he has identified them right, 'cos his confidence is tremendous!
ReplyDeleteJuliet,
ReplyDeleteNature holds all the treasures to excite and sooth one's being if we only stop to appreciate the offerings. And no one can interpret as well as we.
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There is so much in life to treasure - living things and poetry come at the top of my list too.
ReplyDeleteBirds are treasures indeed. I couldn't get by without them!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to show your post to my British husband, who is a bird watcher. I agree that the beauty and majesty and power of Nature is a univeral treasure.
ReplyDeleteyes, definitely nature is the basis of the foundation. nature is a treasure worth preserving.
ReplyDeleteYes natural beauty is truely breathtaking and priceless...a treasure as you so rightly stated. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. I could already tell that about you; I remember the poem you shared recently about the crows. It was so vivid, and I could tell that those crows captivated you, that nothing else really mattered.
ReplyDeleteYou had me smiling.. thanks for this lovely walk you took us through....
ReplyDeleteLovely reminder of the treasures of nature - too often we forget the value of the natural and cater to the unnatural... Nice bird sites.
ReplyDeleteWhat an intresting post! The RSPB is indeed a very worthy charity. I still find the sight of a woodpecker absolutely stunning. No man made trinklet comes anywhere close to the dazzlimg colours of its plumage.
ReplyDeletebirds are truly treasures, nice post. :)
ReplyDeleteThat is such a perfect choice for this prompt and I'm in full agreement.
ReplyDeleteI often wonder when I look at birds how it must feel to soar through the air like that.
ReplyDeletei love birds....thank you for the links and a great post...i use to sit outside my sister's window and watch birds in the tall oak trees..in the inland northwest of idaho we have lots of birds...i am in heaven
ReplyDeleteWhat a treasure trove this nature thing is! So many links and a great book review.
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