Hello and thank you to everyone taking the time to read this. My name is Benjamin or Ben and I am a new LBC member and forum user. In the scheme of things I have only quite recently found a real love for birds, around two years so far (I had previously been missing out!), and have been going out watching more keenly in the last year. I guess that I might be described as a younger enthusiast, though I really don’t feel young! I have from an early age very much always loved wildlife and wild places, I don’t drive and currently live in North Hykeham so I am very fortunate to be within walking distance of the LWT Whisby/North Hykeham pits area. Obviously most of my trips out are on a very local basis and are on foot (maximum 10 miles either way, though less if I have my newly acquired scope and tripod!) mainly to LWT Whisby/North Hykeham pits, LWT Tunman wood, Blackmoor, the Neville estate at Aubourn and most public footpaths in my general area. That being said I have had the odd trip out to a few places further afield notably a birthday trip to RSPB Frampton Marsh this August where seemingly everywhere I looked was a new species!, LWT Freiston, Far Ings, Gibraltar Point, Donna Nook and having spent very little time previously anywhere near to our coast in Lincolnshire I had no idea how truly important and special it is. I also fortuitously managed to get to see the Thornton Great Egret, after seeing it reported here I had the opportunity to visit the Abbey and was able to watch the bird for an hour including a few minutes of circling overhead in strong winds before flying towards the coast. I am clearly very much a true beginner (I do hope to become a good birder in the distant future!) spending practically all of my spare time when I can’t get out reading up from books that I am accumulating or from the local library’s (though I have pretty much exhausted their collection now) and of course information from the internet. Finding the LBC and its forum has been a blessing for which I am very grateful! I feel I have learnt a significant amount from reading back through the forum and of course the reports, truly an invaluable resource! A big thank you to everyone making it possible! So far I have only been out in the field on my own, though I am quite a shy person really, it would be brilliant to meet fellow members out and about. I would also be truly very grateful for any advice, tips and constructive criticism where it might be needed!
Yours sincerely,
Benjamin Ward.
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