I-SPY with my little eye

Do you remember the beloved I-SPY series? Pocket sized travel boredom cures from yesteryear, guaranteed to drive your navigating parents to dispair and only second in effectiveness to Barley Sugars.

I-SPY Birds, Castles, Classic Cars, Wild Flowers, On a Car Journey, Flags, even On the Pavement… I must have had the lot (thanks Mum). Obsessing round the roads (thanks Dad) on our way to Scotland, Wales or Wolves Wood, piling up the points, part of the fabric of childhood… Caernarfon Castle 30 points (tick), Buzzard 25 points (tick).

This life saving (and affirming) range of guides was created in the 50s and really hit their stride come the 70s before falling into the back of the glove compartment when Mrs Thatcher spoilt everything. Thankfully a few years back they were wisely resuscitated by Michelin for a new generation to enjoy although Big Chief I-SPY (apparently a head master rather than a red indian) of certificate and feather fame appears to have retired to the great bird hide in the sky.

A couple of weeks back I pitched in as a trip helper at my daughters school, we were off to Minsmere, home of the Avocet just up the Suffolk coast, twixt nuclear power and a sunken city. I was a Minsmere regular in my youth, in fact I was a certified ornothological nut, a proto twitcher. The rust has set in a bit over the last few decades but my inner binoculars are still focused and I can hear a booming Bittern from a mile away.

Surely worthy of at least 50 points, Mr Teacher came armed with a classroom full of the gift that keeps on giving, I-SPY Birds, the reissued classic. The kids were in obsessive point scoring paradise, totally locked into the spirit of the day. However trite the books can seem to a seasoned bird nerd, they lock kids in, keeping them enquiring and hunting, a real natural treasure hunt.

Minsmere delivered, as ever… Avocets obviously, Marsh Harrier, Shoveler, Widgeon and a plethora of waders. One of the kids even pond dipped a newt.

The twitchiness was infectious and returned home with us on the bus, following us to Alton Water the day after, then Holbrook Creek, Cutler’s Wood and back to the garden.

Beautifully, my daughters desire for more, more, more has continued right through the Easter break with points currently sky high and rising. Todays bike ride to Freston Bluebell Woods brought us Buzzards, Linnet and even Corn Bunting (it wasn’t a Skylark honest). There’s rumours of another bike ride over Eatser weekend to tick Great Crested Grebes off (15 points). It’s all light hearted stuff but you never know, she might be upgrading to Mitchell Beazely before too long and it knocks Cbeebies into the long grass. She even prefers the black binoculars to the pink ones now.

Do yourself a favour… buy your kids I-SPY books, and use them.

Posted by: Forte