Hello, I'm Ken Bayliss. As I am taking over the role of Group Leader from Rob Gordon I have been asked to write a few words to introduce myself. So here goes.
I was born and brought up in Derby where I first took an interest in bird watching at the tender age of about ten. This interest grew and I saved all my pocket money to update my "Observer Book of Birds" to a decent identification guide, "Collin's Pocket Guide to British Birds" (which incidentally cost me 25 shilling) and a pair of binoculars (£14). I joined the Derby Ornithological Society, but after a few years, my interest in birds switched towards the less feathered variety, together with rock climbing, pot holing and earning a living. Life rapidly moved onto marriage, family, DIY and developing a career. Although I wouldn't say I was an active birdwatcher I always maintained an interest whilst out and about and on holiday.
Eventually our three children left the family nest and Carol and I found the World was our oyster, we bought a touring caravan which we took all over the UK, often honing in on good bird watching areas, my interest was rekindled. Being interested in birds and living in Leicestershire, only 120miles away from Norfolk coastal reserves, Norfolk became a regular destination. So after a long period of visiting on a very regular basis, wearing our own groove in the A47, we looked at buying a static caravan, but after much sole searching we plumbed for a house to use as a holiday home with the long (or as it turned out, not so long)-term goal of making it our retirement home. To cut a long story short we came to live in Roydon, although I haven't formally retired yet.