Just came across this newspaper photo while searching for a picture for a school reunion website. The slim, bearded teacher is me, when I was Head of KS2 at Acle Primary School thirty years ago! I took over from Bill Urwin, a birder who had taken part in a televised birdrace with Bill Oddie among others. The other adult is Mike Blackburn, then Warden at Strumpshaw Fen: the children are members of the YOC group I started. At one time it was the largest school group in Eastern England, holding twice-weekly meetings as well as field trips to local reserves.
Mike often came to talk to the school children: in return we'd have annual sponsored birdwatches (all the rage then!) The cheque for £350 was the proceeds from one of these. Mike was a great guy: under his stewardship the Fen developed into a glorious reserve, where Lesser Spots, Willow Tits and Nuthatches were everyday species: the winter raptor roost often contained more Hen Harriers than Marsh Harriers. Happy days....
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