At Agincare, we believe everyone should be able to live life on their own terms, doing the things they love. That’s why we’re proud to share this special guest blog from one of our live-in care clients, John.
John receives live-in care from Agincare and is a passionate birdwatcher with a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm for his feathered friends. We invited him to tell us more about his birding hobby, and how live-in care has helped him continue enjoying the great outdoors, spotting rare birds, and embracing life to the fullest—his way.
Over to you, John…
For the past 40 years, my main passion has been birdwatching, or birding as it is usually called these days. The media does the hobby a disservice by calling all birders “Twitchers”. Twitchers are birders who set out to see rare birds found by others and often travel (usually drive) long distances to see their quarry and add a new tick to their life lists. Most birders have twitched at some stage, and I have in the past.
My style of birding usually involved driving to nature reserves, staying at Portland Bird Observatory or attending guided birding trips with the Local RSPB group and recording the bird species seen. I also enjoyed a weekly outing with 3-4 friends which was when most of my twitching was done. I was actively involved on the committee of not only the RSPB group but also the New Forest Bird Group and the Salisbury Natural History Society. I also used to go on annual birding holidays with these groups.
Unfortunately, all this changed in March 2018 when I suffered a severe, haemorrhagic stroke which has left me paralysed on my left-hand side and confined to a wheelchair.
I wasnt well enough to go birding in my first year after my stroke but when I received my manual wheelchair, my live-in carer, supplied by Agincare, occasionally took me to Langford Lakes or Blashford Lakes to restart my hobby. In 2022, I received a powerchair and this made all the difference. It was easier for my carers as they didn’t have to push me.
Often, in recent years, my live-in carer has been a driver. This has meant that most days I am able to go out with my live-in carer and enjoy local patch birding around the new River Park and the Fisherton Farm allotments before dropping into Waitrose to enjoy coffee and a snack in their café. Occasionally, I go up the path to Stratford-sub- Castle or over the Town Path to Harnham for variety. For the past year, a lady has taken me out in my car for birding further afield. She is now a good friend and has also started birding herself.
Before my stroke, I did little “Local Patch” birding because I thought it would be too repetitive, and I would miss the birds that I could see further afield. Now, of course, that is what I do for most of my birding, and I really enjoy it. Yes, it is repetitive, and I usually see the same species every time I go. However, there are usually one or two species I don`t see and also some I see perhaps for the first time that year. Very occasionally, I see something special on my usual route. For example, last March I saw an Osprey flying low over the houses in front of me, whilst in October I not only saw a Black Redstart in the horse paddocks in Stratford-sub-Castle, I also saw a Bittern fly along the stream as I left Waitrose.
I am writing this in early March and am eagerly awaiting the arrival of our summer migrants. Amongst the first are the Sand Martins, Wheatears, Swallows and Chiffchaffs which arrive this month, whilst April will see the main arrivals of the rest, such as Garden Warblers, Sedge and Reed Warblers to name but a few. I must add that I would be unable to do any of this if I did not have such good and helpful carers. I am also extremely grateful to Agincare whose staff match me with suitable carers who help me to fulfil my hobby as much as I am able to.
– John P