Reuters and me

The Tanjung Tuan Raptor Watch, started by two friends of mine who had a dream, had its tenth anniversary this year. I have missed a couple - when I was in Sabah or overseas - but otherwise I am there every year.

And every year that I am, I get interviewed by Reuters.

I have no idea what happens to these interviews because I never see them turn up on TV, and have never had anyone say that they saw one. I suspect that they go into a comedy file labelled: "The Bird Lady flitters again!" or maybe "Year by Year Documentation of the Increasing Decreptitude of the Scrawny-necked Vulture", or something equally unflattering.

You see, I usually spend much of my time standing in the sun showing school kids birds through a telescope, or counting raptors, or some equally unglamorous thing. I drip with sweat in tropical heat, I am without make up, I have a hat jammed on my head - and to wear the usually unflattering raptor watch Malaysian Nature Society T-shirt is de rigeur. Reality TV this might be, but honestly, watching skinny would-be models viciously vying for the opportunity to come back next week is loads more fun.

I rant a bit about conservation and birds and probably say exactly the same thing year after year. Do tell me if you ever see one of these clips.