Lessons Wildlife Taught Me: That Not Every Day Is Productive
I think all of us have been there at some point in our time watching wildlife — and if you’re one of the lucky few who hasn’t, well… enjoy it while it lasts.
Those days when you turn up to a nature reserve, big or small, and not a lot is happening can feel a little dull. You set out with a spring in your step, only to find the place strangely quiet, as if everything has slipped behind the curtain the moment you arrived.
And if you’re trying to get photographs, it can feel even tougher. When your shots don’t come out the way you hoped, or the light isn’t right, or your settings betray you, it’s easy to feel like the whole day has been a write‑off.
Sometimes you’re simply in the wrong place at the wrong moment. Sometimes nothing turns up. Sometimes you realise you’ve had the camera set wrong for the past hour. Days like these happen — and that’s the thing I remind myself whenever they do.
Humans seem obsessed with constant output. I know I am, whether it’s work or hobbies. Some days I’m ticking bird after bird off my list; other days I’m wishing for anything to happen. But both kinds of days matter.
I remember visiting a spot where I’d had loads of success before. Even on the quiet days it usually delivered something. But this time I sat in the hide for two hours watching nothing more than Little Grebes diving and a Wood Pigeon pottering about as if I didn’t exist. Eventually I moved on, only to find the next location just as still. It felt as though all the wildlife I’d ever seen there had simply vanished.
As part of my Big Year, I’ve been recording every bird I see. I’ve had a strong start, but I know there will be weeks where I see very little, or where the same species repeat again. I’m already noticing that now.
But that’s the point. Nature isn’t lazy — it’s paced. Wildlife moves, feeds, rests, and waits according to what it needs to survive. It can’t be “on the go” all the time. And neither can we.
So, I want to ask you this: in the world of birding and watching wildlife, what does ‘productive’ really mean to you? Is it spotting something rare, or does simply being present in the reserve count as its own kind of success? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!!
