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Rainbows, Bluebirds and Buffleheads Discovering Life Through Birds
In Rainbows, Bluebirds and Buffleheads you will find the heart of human excellence as Bill Beatty reveals how chasing birds led him to a sense of awe about all of nature. He shares his exuberance as it unfolds before his eyes. From a young boy fascinated by the iridescent rainbows in the feathers of pigeons, to the pivotal moment when common bluebirds changed his young life forever; from catching woodpeckers barehanded to watching a screech-owl egg hatch, Bill chronicles his journey as he pursued his passion from novice to expert. If you know nothing about birds, this book will entertain you and help you appreciate them more. Advanced birders will laugh and delight in the stories and may be inspired to share bird encounters from their own lives. With sincere, heart-felt and funny stories, Beatty describes his birding experiences with gratitude and wonder. Everyone should be so fortunate to find such awe in life!
296 pages, Paperback
Published August 2, 2016
2 people want to read
About the author
Bill Beatty
46 books1 followerOn leaving Christian Brothers' College, Waverley, Bill worked as a clerk, gave piano lessons and recitals, and traveled in the Far East and the United States of America. Deeply impressed by the Americans' pride in their history, he determined to arouse in Australians a greater interest in their own past.
In 1936 Beatty joined the fledgling, Catholic-owned radio station 2SM as announcer and pianist. His programme, 'Cuckoo Court', featured his first broadcasts on Australiana which provided the basis for his illustrated 'Believe Bill Beatty' items in the Wireless Weekly and A.B.C. Weekly. In June 1941 he was appointed to the Australian Broadcasting Commission as a script and continuity writer. In addition, he wrote and broadcast a weekly, 15-minute, dramatized talk, 'Australoddities', a programme of local curiosities and amazing facts, which was to run for over four hundred sessions. Beatty also presented Australiana items on the 'Children's Session'. His programme fitted the patriotism of the war years and their aftermath when the A.B.C. came under pressure to include more Australian material. 'Australoddities' continued on air as a small, but popular, item.
Beatty roamed widely, collecting material for his programme and writings; correspondence with his listeners and readers provided much information. His first publication, This Australia, Strange and Amazing Facts, by 'Believe Bill Beatty', appeared in 1941. He followed it with Amazing Australia and Australia, the Amazing. In 1946 he declined a lecture tour in the United States because he was unable to afford the fare. When 'Australoddities' moved to another A.B.C. network in 1950 and the programme ended in December 1951.
From 1952 until 1960 Beatty worked as a clerical assistant in the Commonwealth Department of Trade and Customs in Sydney to enable him to continue to support his sister and her children. Meantime, he pursued his main interest—Australian folklore. Fourteen of his books were published between 1950 and 1970. He combined his knowledge of Australian history with his journeys to produce several travel guides as well.
His writings presented bits of history, anecdotes, firsts, bests, oldests and other miscellaneous information, and made entertaining reading. He was an early popularizer and chronicler of Australian traditions who recalled his life's work as 'a relentless but rewarding pursuit' to rescue and preserve nearly-forgotten tales. A slim, handsome man, with glasses and a pencil-thin moustache, Beatty never married, and lived with his sister and her family at Newport. He died there of ischaemic heart disease and was buried in the local cemetery with Catholic rites.
In 1936 Beatty joined the fledgling, Catholic-owned radio station 2SM as announcer and pianist. His programme, 'Cuckoo Court', featured his first broadcasts on Australiana which provided the basis for his illustrated 'Believe Bill Beatty' items in the Wireless Weekly and A.B.C. Weekly. In June 1941 he was appointed to the Australian Broadcasting Commission as a script and continuity writer. In addition, he wrote and broadcast a weekly, 15-minute, dramatized talk, 'Australoddities', a programme of local curiosities and amazing facts, which was to run for over four hundred sessions. Beatty also presented Australiana items on the 'Children's Session'. His programme fitted the patriotism of the war years and their aftermath when the A.B.C. came under pressure to include more Australian material. 'Australoddities' continued on air as a small, but popular, item.
Beatty roamed widely, collecting material for his programme and writings; correspondence with his listeners and readers provided much information. His first publication, This Australia, Strange and Amazing Facts, by 'Believe Bill Beatty', appeared in 1941. He followed it with Amazing Australia and Australia, the Amazing. In 1946 he declined a lecture tour in the United States because he was unable to afford the fare. When 'Australoddities' moved to another A.B.C. network in 1950 and the programme ended in December 1951.
From 1952 until 1960 Beatty worked as a clerical assistant in the Commonwealth Department of Trade and Customs in Sydney to enable him to continue to support his sister and her children. Meantime, he pursued his main interest—Australian folklore. Fourteen of his books were published between 1950 and 1970. He combined his knowledge of Australian history with his journeys to produce several travel guides as well.
His writings presented bits of history, anecdotes, firsts, bests, oldests and other miscellaneous information, and made entertaining reading. He was an early popularizer and chronicler of Australian traditions who recalled his life's work as 'a relentless but rewarding pursuit' to rescue and preserve nearly-forgotten tales. A slim, handsome man, with glasses and a pencil-thin moustache, Beatty never married, and lived with his sister and her family at Newport. He died there of ischaemic heart disease and was buried in the local cemetery with Catholic rites.
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October 2, 2016
I absolutely loved this book! If you are a bird enthusiast or nature lover, then it is a must read!
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