Lessons Wildlife Taught Me: To Be Present
Being present can mean a hundred different things depending on who you ask. For me, it’s the ability to set aside whatever is happening in life and focus fully on the moment in front of you. And when it comes to wildlife, that skill becomes essential.
As I’ve said before, wildlife is unpredictable. One second something is there, the next it’s gone. That’s part of the magic. For me, spending time with British wildlife is an escape from the noise of day‑to‑day life — a chance to slow down, breathe, and simply observe. Whether you’re sitting in one spot for hours or you’ve only just arrived somewhere, being present is everything.
How it all started
I fell into wildlife watching in 2021. I’d had a rough day at my job in education and needed to get out of the house to clear my head. While scrolling through social media, wondering where to go, I stumbled across a post from my local abbey about Peregrine Falcons.
Peregrines have been my favourite bird since I was young, so I thought, why not? What’s the worst that could happen? I found a bench with a perfect view of the nesting site. After a few quiet minutes, one of the adults suddenly started calling. The other appeared on the edge of the nest. I was hooked. One flew in, the other flew out — swapping shifts, tending to their eggs, completely absorbed in their purpose.
In that moment, something clicked for me. These birds weren’t living for next week, or even tomorrow. They were living for that hour. Meanwhile, humans spend so much time planning, worrying, and projecting into the future.
A New Perspective
That experience gave me a buzz I still remember vividly. Not only had I discovered that these incredible birds were nesting right there, but I’d witnessed them — really witnessed them. When the chick eventually fledged, I realised I had no way to look back on that year apart from my memories. So later in 2021, I bought my first camera with one goal: to photograph the Peregrines the following spring.
Why Presents Matters
Being present isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about giving your full attention to what’s already here. Wildlife moments can happen anywhere, at any time — and they’re often fleeting. When you’re present, your mind isn’t replaying the past or planning the next task. Your attention rests on what you can see, hear, feel, and notice right now. And sharing a moment with a wild creature, even for a few seconds of its life, is something we often take for granted. I know I do. I’ll walk past Blue Tits without a second thought because I see them so often. But if a Kingfisher appears, I’m instantly locked in — observing, appreciating, photographing.
Think back to my last lesson: if I’d left that hide even a minute earlier, that Kingfisher would have come and gone, living its life, and I would have missed it entirely. Being present meant I got to share that moment, and it’s stayed with me long after the bird left the lake.
Your Turn
What moment has being present brought you? Share it in the comments — I’d love to hear your stories.
And of course, here are a few more shots from the years that followed. Don’t worry… I’ll be heading back later this year to see the Peregrines again. Meanwhile, here are some more of my photos from the years!
