birdgirl

Saturday, 7 November 2015

November Media interest

November was an exciting month for me.

First, it started with this photo of me in Birdwatching Magazine. They had bought the photo of a child and nest box from an agency and I was really pleased that the magazine had chosen one of me...an amusing start.

Birdwatching Magazine - November Edition Page 79

Then a local on-line newspaper, The Western Daily Press, picked up on my Chew Valley Gazette article about seeing my 4000th bird and being the youngest person to see this many. They interviewed me and published a piece online on 1st November 2015 https://t.co/o0MWldq6VS

Then, another local on-line paper, The Western Morning News, published an article online on 2nd November 2015 about my birding and seeing my 4000th bird

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Somerset-girl-13-youngest-bird-spotter-record-4/story-28098718-detail/story.html?00

This was followed by a later on-line article about me in the ITV West Country News also on 2nd November 2015

https://t.co/uR3MFomHR6 https://t.co/XwG5uR80FF

This is the article published in the Metro Nationwide about me on 4th November 2015. It was really exciting as lots of people I know had read the article, not knowing that I was going to be in it (The Metro is a free Newspaper distributed in cities including London and Bristol particularly on public transport).

The Metro

So this is another article in the popular National newspaper, The Daily Express, also published on 4th November 2015.

The Daily Express

So this is another article about my birding, published in the weekly Somerset Guardian, on 5th November 2015 thankfully with more recent photos!

The Somerset Guardian

Finally, this is the article about me in the weekly Midsomer Norton & Radstock Journal on 5th November 2015.

The Midsomer Norton & Radstock Journal

This blog post is about the huge amount of media attention that I had in November, about my seeing my 4000th world bird in the summer. It was a beautiful Red-throated Tit which I saw in Swaro Plains on my first day in Kenya. For me, it's all about the birding and not about the number, but it was still nice to have lots of articles about me. Even it catches the interest of a few people and they start birding, then it will have been worth it.

It was really exciting to find these articles and not knowing that they were being published. Thank you to everyone who sent their congratulations and let me know if you see anything else. Roll on 5000!

About the Writer

Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly

Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig

Mya-Rose Craig is a 13 year old young birder, naturalist, conservationist, environmentalist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She loved seeing Mountain Gorillas in East Africa and is looking forward to watching Penguins in Antarctica in December 2015, which will be her 7th continent.

Mya-Rose is a Bristol European Green Capital 2015 Ambassador along with Kevin McCloud, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Tony Juniper, Simon King, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Shaun the Sheep! See the full list of Bristol 2015 Ambassadors. She has also been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people. Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter

Wednesday, 4 November 2015

Inspiring seven year old Laila to like nature

I have a big sister called Ayesha, who is about to be 26 Year old. When I was little she was my 'cool' big sister and as a young female birder and twitcher she was a fantastic role model. Ayesha's a strong character and had to deal with young male birder's ignoring her because she had seen more birds them. That's helped me deal with attitudes like that. She lives 15 minutes away, still in the Chew Valley and has Laila who is 7 years old and Lucas who is 2 1/2 years old.

My sister Ayesha Ahmed-Mendoza age 13 (my age now!), me, Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, as a toddler
and my Dad, Chris Craig in DevonPhotograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

When Laila was young, she and Ayesha still came twitching with us.

Laila with her Nanabhai (granddad) on Orkney twitching a Sandhill Crane
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

Laila Price looking at the pictures in one of her Nanabhai's bird books (my Dad, Chris Craig)Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig

Laila goes to my old primary school, Ubley Primary, where she does forest school with my dad.

Laila Price at Forest School with her Nanabhai and my Dad, Chris CraigPhotograph copyright Chris Craig

Laila also comes to a few family events, where I have helped as a leader.

One of the events was at Avalon Marshes, earlier in the year. This was a brilliant event and it was great to inspire younger children. Under tens tend to think teenagers are cool and want to do what they do, so I know it's worthwhile trying to inspire them.

Young Birder Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price at Shapwick Heath
at an Avalon Marshes Centre Family birding day where I was a leader
Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig

A few weeks Laila and Lucas watched me and Dad ringing (banding) birds in the garden, which they were both interested and excited by. Lucas doesn't talk much but kept saying "bird" over and over again, very excitedly.