Alex Bulmer

I’ve been learning to “bird by ear.” What?! Basically, identifying birds by their song and call. It has led me to marvel at bird reality – dust bathing, parasitic eggs, how some birds screech and sound a bit like Betty Davis in What Happened to Baby Jane.

What’s this got to do with leadership? It has brought me a sense of wonder and amazement, at a time when I have been struggling with a long period of unemployment. Basically, I’ve been a bit of a sad sack lately. Finding the birds, paying attention to them, discovering their magic – they bathe in dirt to freak out insects, and when those little bugs panic they release insecticides that kill parasites which disinfect the birdies wings. How cool and brilliant is that?

When I feel down, my thoughts swirl into fog and often travel far far away. Thanks birds – all good tools to tuck into the leadership kit bag, (birdership?)