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Gone Birding
Gone Birding Oddie, Bill
- GenresNonfiction
180 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
16 people want to read
About the author
Bill Oddie
72 books15 followersWilliam "Bill" Edgar Oddie OBE is an English author, actor, comedian, artist, naturalist and musician, who became famous as one of The Goodies. A birdwatcher since childhood, Oddie has now established a reputation for himself as an ornithologist, conservationist and television presenter on wildlife issues. Some of his books are illustrated with his own paintings and drawings.
Oddie studied English Literature at Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge, where he appeared in several Cambridge University Footlights Club productions. One of these, a revue called A Clump of Plinths, was so successful at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe that it was renamed Cambridge Circus and transferred to the West End in London, then New Zealand and Broadway in September 1964. Meanwhile, still at Cambridge, Oddie wrote scripts for TV's That Was The Week That Was.
His first television appearance was in Bernard Braden's On The Braden Beat in 1964. Subsequently, he was a key member of the performers in the BBC radio series I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again (ISIRTA; 1965), where many of his musical compositions were featured. Some were released on the album Distinctly Oddie (Polydor, 1967). He was possibly one of the first performers to parody a rock song, arranging the traditional Yorkshire folk song "On Ilkla Moor Baht'at" in the style of Joe Cocker's hit rendition of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" (released on John Peel's Dandelion Records in 1970 and featured in Peel's special box of most-treasured singles).
On television Oddie was co-writer and performer in the comedy series Twice a Fortnight with Graeme Garden, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Jonathan Lynn. Later, he was co-writer and performer in the comedy series Broaden Your Mind with Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden, for which Oddie became a cast member for the second series. Oddie, Brooke-Taylor and Garden then co-wrote and appeared in their television comedy series The Goodies. The Goodies also released records, including "Father Christmas Do Not Touch Me"/"The In-Betweenies", "Funky Gibbon", and "Black Pudding Bertha", which were hit singles in 1974-75. They reformed, briefly, in 2005, for a successful 13-date tour of Australia. Oddie, Brooke-Taylor and Garden voiced characters on the 1983 animated children's programme Bananaman. He has occasionally appeared on the BBC Radio 4 panel game I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, on which Garden and Brooke-Taylor are regular panellists.
Oddie studied English Literature at Pembroke College at the University of Cambridge, where he appeared in several Cambridge University Footlights Club productions. One of these, a revue called A Clump of Plinths, was so successful at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe that it was renamed Cambridge Circus and transferred to the West End in London, then New Zealand and Broadway in September 1964. Meanwhile, still at Cambridge, Oddie wrote scripts for TV's That Was The Week That Was.
His first television appearance was in Bernard Braden's On The Braden Beat in 1964. Subsequently, he was a key member of the performers in the BBC radio series I'm Sorry, I'll Read That Again (ISIRTA; 1965), where many of his musical compositions were featured. Some were released on the album Distinctly Oddie (Polydor, 1967). He was possibly one of the first performers to parody a rock song, arranging the traditional Yorkshire folk song "On Ilkla Moor Baht'at" in the style of Joe Cocker's hit rendition of the Beatles' "With a Little Help from My Friends" (released on John Peel's Dandelion Records in 1970 and featured in Peel's special box of most-treasured singles).
On television Oddie was co-writer and performer in the comedy series Twice a Fortnight with Graeme Garden, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Jonathan Lynn. Later, he was co-writer and performer in the comedy series Broaden Your Mind with Tim Brooke-Taylor and Graeme Garden, for which Oddie became a cast member for the second series. Oddie, Brooke-Taylor and Garden then co-wrote and appeared in their television comedy series The Goodies. The Goodies also released records, including "Father Christmas Do Not Touch Me"/"The In-Betweenies", "Funky Gibbon", and "Black Pudding Bertha", which were hit singles in 1974-75. They reformed, briefly, in 2005, for a successful 13-date tour of Australia. Oddie, Brooke-Taylor and Garden voiced characters on the 1983 animated children's programme Bananaman. He has occasionally appeared on the BBC Radio 4 panel game I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue, on which Garden and Brooke-Taylor are regular panellists.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 29, 2012
How do I sum up this book? Well, it's a book about Bill Oddie's birding life in his formative years, a book about his home life and about a time that some would call the golden age of bird-watching (or 'birding' if you like). It takes us from Bill's youth and first encounter with a Dunnock's nest, through his many hours watching empty water at Bartley Reservoir and his venturings further afield in his father's car, including time spent at bird observatories around the country. For readers interested in birdwatching and birdwatchers this is a fascinating book, full of details of famous places that, while open to the public now, were once secretive places with ferocious wardens. It has the feel of both an autobiography and a social document, concentrating on Bill's early life but also describing wonderfully the pastime of birdwatching and the science of ornithology in the period from the 1950's to the 1980's. I enjoyed it immensely.
November 24, 2019
Excellent book which tells the tales of twitching and proper birding in the 50’s and 60’s. So good to read about Bill’s early birding life flogging his patch (Bartley Reservoir) for very little reward which I am sure most birders can appreciate.
Well written and in his colourful style that makes this book a page turner. Always light hearted and enjoyable even when he has ‘dipped out!’ Thoroughly recommend this book to any birdwatcher.
Well written and in his colourful style that makes this book a page turner. Always light hearted and enjoyable even when he has ‘dipped out!’ Thoroughly recommend this book to any birdwatcher.
August 16, 2019
Firstly I have to admit that I am not a birder but just a general fan of the author and keen to hear about his early life; I'll read anything he has written as it's a safe bet it'll be engaging.
This 1980s history of Bill's growth in knowledge and skill at his hobby goes right back to his childhood, with plenty of photos of British locations he's visited, his old record books (fascinating - including a prizewinning report), and the characters he's learned from...or who have shouted "OI!" at him. As usual, there are his own charming bird drawings, too.
It's a little more serious than the Little Black Bird Book but has its lighter moments - I trust that the budding streaker Marian/Marion's name has been changed! Most of the humour, though, comes from the author laughing at his younger self for all the mistakes he made. The chapter on ringers' traps was very funny - the descriptions and the diagrams.
If you ARE a birder I expect you will already have read this book ages ago. As far as I can tell, it gives a good account of what it was like to have to really slog at getting your ticks back in the 50s and 60s. Should you be a young birder who's curious about the history of the pastime, you'll find a lot here to interest you.
This 1980s history of Bill's growth in knowledge and skill at his hobby goes right back to his childhood, with plenty of photos of British locations he's visited, his old record books (fascinating - including a prizewinning report), and the characters he's learned from...or who have shouted "OI!" at him. As usual, there are his own charming bird drawings, too.
It's a little more serious than the Little Black Bird Book but has its lighter moments - I trust that the budding streaker Marian/Marion's name has been changed! Most of the humour, though, comes from the author laughing at his younger self for all the mistakes he made. The chapter on ringers' traps was very funny - the descriptions and the diagrams.
If you ARE a birder I expect you will already have read this book ages ago. As far as I can tell, it gives a good account of what it was like to have to really slog at getting your ticks back in the 50s and 60s. Should you be a young birder who's curious about the history of the pastime, you'll find a lot here to interest you.
July 9, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed the book - I am also a birder and an ex-bird ringer and I think that is why it appealed to me.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews