Ep 73 - Bad Birdwatching & Rewilding. Review of books by Simon Barnes

In this face-to-face episode of The Forest School Podcast, Lewis and Gemma reflect on their deep dive into bird books, sparked by their recent conversation with Maya Rose Craig. Broadcasting from the woods under crochet blankets and canopy chatter, they explore what it means to become more attuned to birdlife—and the subtle dynamics of naming, noticing, and knowledge. Along the way, they critique Simon Barnes' books How to Be a Bad Birdwatcher and Rewild Yourself, unpacking powerful ideas (and some problematic language) about access to nature, adult ego, gendered narratives, and inclusion. They reflect on how we facilitate attention, foster curiosity, and hold space for wonder—especially when children are deep in Sonic roleplay or building imaginary banks. A wide-ranging, rich conversation on how nature speaks and how we choose to listen.⏱ Chapter Timings:00:00 – Back in the woods: mist, blankets, and seasonal shifts02:30 – From Maya Rose to Simon Barnes: bird books as inspiration04:41 – The challenge of listening to birds... when you're surrounded by birds08:02 – Ren songs and learning by tuning in to the scrub10:11 – The gendered language of nature books: who is this for?13:23 – Gatekeeping the outdoors and the jogger as outsider18:34 – The naming debate: connection, shortcuts, and relationship-building23:50 – Can children still be amazed by buzzards after years of Forest School?29:34 – The power of questions and resisting the adult urge to info-dump37:47 – Headphones, Sonic the Hedgehog, and nature as unavoidable background🌲 Keywords: Forest School birding, Simon Barnes critique, outdoor gender bias, nature connection, bird books for beginners, rewilding adults, naming in nature education, sonic roleplay outdoors, facilitating curiosity, Forest School pedagogy🔖 Hashtags:#ForestSchool #OutdoorLearning #BirdWatching #RewildYourself #NatureConnection #ChildLedLearning #QuestionBasedLearning #ImaginativePlay #ForestSchoolPodcast #NatureNoticing #BirdBooks #WildlifeEducation #DiversityOutdoors #AccessToNature🌐 More Episodes & Support:Listen to more and access resources at www.theforestschoolpodcast.comSupport the show and join our community at www.patreon.com/theforestschoolpodcastFor questions, feedback, or collaboration: [email protected]