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Name: Donna Age: 34 Current location: Columbia, South Carolina, USA About me: I'm originally from Staffordshire, in England. I have only lived in the States since 2004, so I'm still very much a novice when it comes to North American birds and wildlife, but I have a big appetite for learning. I have always been a big wildlife fan. I remember as a kid, maybe around 8 or 9 years old, I used to love listening to the birds when I woke up in the mornings. I'd lay in bed memorising and imitating the different calls. I could identify every bird I heard! I remember the summer nights, going to bed and listening to the blackbirds singing their evening songs. I remember my dad tying a piece of string to a nut feeder and giving it a good tug whenever the starlings got a bit greedy and other birds weren't getting a look in. I remember going to a hide at a reservoir with my parents and having to be careful with the binoculars. Very happy days! These days, I take my moments when I get them. I have a 14-month-old daughter, so I rarely get chance to spend any length of time persuing my hobby. One of my favourite ways to relax is when she falls asleep in the car; I'll often drive to a nearby lake and get my binoculars out, in an attempt to improve my water bird knowledge. Sometimes, I'll coax her into playing in the kitchen for a while - the room with the best view of our back yard and feeders. My daughter also loves to watch the gulls in the car parks of shopping centres, so I use this time to chill out for a short while and see what else is lurking around up on the wires and poles. It's surprising what you see when you stop to look in these places! Up until I was about 6 months pregnant, I was working for a nearby wildlife rescue as a bird and reptile caretaker. I can safely say that, as crazily busy, hard work and stressful as it was, it was also very rewarding, satisfying and the most enjoyable "job" that I have ever had. This is definitely the type of work I want go back into, once my daughter is in some kind of schooling. About the site: I am constantly coming up with new ideas for the site, so it is permanently a work in progress. I'm working on getting an updating camera out in the yard, on the most active feeders, but I'm still researching how to do this. I had hoped to use a Wingscapes Birdcam and an EyeFi card to update directly to the website but, despite the camera being in range of our wireless network, for some reason it hangs after uploading the first picture. I have a few more ideas to try, when I get some spare time. The current updating cameras are viewing our back deck. After a couple of years of this set up, I'm running out of time and need to get them moved so I can reclaim the deck for my daughter to be able to play outside. If I can't come up with a solution soon, I may have to have some down time on the birdcam. Hopefully that will give me the motivation and focus I need to get it sorted more quickly! I'll also try to update the diary more often during this period, to keep some fresh pictures coming and keep the site alive. Last updated: April 2010
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