I have a big sister called Ayesha, who is about to be 26 Year old. When I was little she was my 'cool' big sister and as a young female birder and twitcher she was a fantastic role model. Ayesha's a strong character and had to deal with young male birder's ignoring her because she had seen more birds them. That's helped me deal with attitudes like that. She lives 15 minutes away, still in the Chew Valley and has Laila who is 7 years old and Lucas who is 2 1/2 years old.
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| My sister Ayesha Ahmed-Mendoza age 13 (my age now!), me, Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig, as a toddler and my Dad, Chris Craig in DevonPhotograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
When Laila was young, she and Ayesha still came twitching with us.
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| Laila with her Nanabhai (granddad) on Orkney twitching a Sandhill Crane Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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| Laila Price looking at the pictures in one of her Nanabhai's bird books (my Dad, Chris Craig)Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig |
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| Laila Price looking at the pictures in one of her Nanabhai's bird books (my Dad, Chris Craig)Photograph taken by and copyright Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig |
Laila goes to my old primary school, Ubley Primary, where she does forest school with my dad.
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| Laila Price at Forest School with her Nanabhai and my Dad, Chris CraigPhotograph copyright Chris Craig |
Laila also comes to a few family events, where I have helped as a leader.
One of the events was at Avalon Marshes, earlier in the year. This was a brilliant event and it was great to inspire younger children. Under tens tend to think teenagers are cool and want to do what they do, so I know it's worthwhile trying to inspire them.
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| Young Birder Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price at Shapwick Heath at an Avalon Marshes Centre Family birding day where I was a leader Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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| Young Birder Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price at Shapwick Heath at an Avalon Marshes Centre Family birding day where I was a leader Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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| Young Birder Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price at Shapwick Heath at an Avalon Marshes Centre Family birding day where I was a leader Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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| Young Birder Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price at Shapwick Heath at an Avalon Marshes Centre Family birding day where I was a leader Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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| Young Birder Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price at Shapwick Heath at an Avalon Marshes Centre Family birding day where I was a leader Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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| Young Birder Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price at Shapwick Heath at an Avalon Marshes Centre Family birding day where I was a leader Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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| Young Birder Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price at Shapwick Heath at an Avalon Marshes Centre Family birding day where I was a leader Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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| Young Birder Mya-Rose Craig and Laila Price at Shapwick Heath at an Avalon Marshes Centre Family birding day where I was a leader Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
A few weeks Laila and Lucas watched me and Dad ringing (banding) birds in the garden, which they were both interested and excited by. Lucas doesn't talk much but kept saying "bird" over and over again, very excitedly.
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| Young birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig ringing with Laila Price watching Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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| Young birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig ringing with Laila Price watching Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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| Chris Craig ringing with Laila Price watching Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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| Chris Craig ringing with Laila and Lucas Price watching Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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| Chris Craig ringing with Laila and Lucas Price watching Photograph taken by and copyright Helena Craig |
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This is a drawing Laila recently did showing me and my parents bird watching.
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| Drawing by Laila Price, age 7, of Mya-Rose, Chris and Helena Craig birding |
About the Writer
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Young Birder Birdgirl Mya-Rose Craig on Scilly
Photograph taken by and copyright Chris Craig
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Mya-Rose Craig is a 13 year old young birder, naturalist, conservationist, environmentalist, writer and speaker. She is based near Bristol and writes the successful Birdgirl Blog, with posts about birding and conservation from around the world. She loved seeing Mountain Gorillas in East Africa and is looking forward to watching Penguins in Antarctica in December 2015, which will be her 7th continent.
Mya-Rose is a Bristol European Green Capital 2015 Ambassador along with Kevin McCloud, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Tony Juniper, Simon King, Miranda Krestovnikoff and Shaun the Sheep! See the full list of Bristol 2015 Ambassadors. She has also been listed with the singer songwriter George Ezra and actress Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones as one of Bristol's most influential young people. Please like her Birdgirl Facebook Page and follow her on Birdgirl Twitter
Very inspiring. Keep up the good work.
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