Findlay Wilde from Moulton is only ten years old but he's determined to make everyone as passionate about wildlife as he is Words by Emma Mayoh Photography by Kirsty Thompson
Findlay Wilde isn’t interested in spending hours playing on a computer or swapping collectors cards with friends. The ten-year-old from Moulton is happiest exploring the countryside.
The young naturalist spends most of his time looking at the open countryside he can see from his bedroom window or trekking with binoculars and camera in hand through some of Cheshire’s beauty spots.
He spends much of his spare time at Marbury Park, Anderton Nature Park and Wigg Island near Runcorn. His adventures have also taken him to South Stack cliffs in Anglesey and Brenig with his granddad, Peter Cobbold, who lives in North Wales.
The Moulton Primary School pupil has had a passion for wildlife since hewas six. He has taught his parents, Heather and Nigel, andeight-year-old brother, Harley, all about the subject including hisparticular interest in different species of birds.
He said: ‘I created my own interest in wildlife. I have always lived in the countryside and have always been fascinated by birds. I love all their different colours, how they fly and how they react to other predators.
‘I love collecting knowledge. I have found out so much from other people too. I don’t have a favourite bird but I do like house sparrows because they are in my garden all the time.’
Findlay regularly spots many kinds of wildlife from badgers, grass snakes, peregrine falcons and foxes. He has also seen 203 of the 595 bird species in Great Britain including osprey, tawny and barn owls, the rare lesser spotted woodpecker and redshanks, a type of wader.
He recently launched his own blog detailing his finds and sharing his knowledge with other bird enthusiasts. He takes pictures of everything he sees. Despite launching it only a couple of months ago, almost 5,000 people have logged onto it from across the globe.
Findlay does have other hobbies. He plays football and loves going fishing with his dad. But it is exploring the Cheshire countryside he loves most. Now he is determined to make more people aware of the wildlife and the need for its protection.
He said: ‘A lot of species are dying out in the countryside. I want people to get outside and experience and see what amazing wildlife there is out there. People need to stop dropping litter and stop going on computer games and appreciate what they have.
‘We need to protect things. It’s important that we have wildlife such as birds. There are some birds whose behaviour helps crops to be grown. It is a life cycle and if you remove part of it, it is serious.’
Findlay hopes to be a volunteer with the RSPB and eventually to become a ranger. He also dreams of training as an ornithologist and being as famous as wildlife experts Bill Oddie and Chris Packham.
He said: ‘I’m not bothered about computer games and swapping Doctor Who cards. I’m just concentrating on what I’m doing and I have a lot of fun.
‘I would love to be an ornithologist. I have got to study birds hard but I have made a good start. Every moment I can get out I’m nature spotting. Cheshire is a really good place to do it.’
His mum Heather, said: ‘We’ve been learning a lot from Findlay. It’s surprising when we go out and hear him talking to other bird watchers just how much knowledge he’s got. It makes you think “who is the parent here?”.
‘It’s lovely that he’s got something that he’ll be interested in for life. He shows so much maturity with it. We’ve also discovered more countryside around our house. It’s fantastic.’
You can see Findlay’s blog by logging onto www.wildeaboutbirds.blogspot.co.uk
