After reading how Matt Merritt was inspired at eight years old by a kestrel, made me stop and think how my passion for birds began. When I was ten my dad would work a lot of hours but when ever he had a day off, he would take me to our local woods and parks. This particular day we was supposed to go to the woods but my dad had to go and price a job, that was in another area. On the way back he took me to Greasbrough Dam in south Yorkshire we walked across an old bridge and on the water was, what I now know as a Great Crested Grebe making her nest. I was mesmerised to see this beautiful bird, bright red head creating the nest with her bill. I felt so lucky to have seen this. Eight years later I moved into my first home around the corner from Greasbrough Dam and soon after settling in I headed out for a walk round the Dam. There she was the Great crested Grebe making her nest in the same place, this fetched backed some happy memories it was as if nothing had changed in Eight years. After that I went back to watch her raise four hatchlings, the pleasure I got from that made me feel incredible. From that day I bought an old bird book some cheap binoculars and headed out, visiting lots of sites and reserves. Meeting new people with the same passion for birds I feel lucky to have experienced, some beautiful birds over the years from when my passion began. Harriet Day
