What is your occupation?

35 posts / 0 new
Last post
Andy
Andy's picture
What is your occupation?

Hi all,

I'm interested to know what people do for their occupation. Do we have a range of occupations here? Stay-at-home parents, people lucky enough to work in birdy-related employment, people in non-birdy-related employment but who manage to sneak a few minutes out on the balcony with the binoculars? (I would never do that.)

I'm doing a psych PhD in Brisbane. I recently stopped teaching tutorials in the psych course, and began work as a Research Assistant at my uni. I have been given an office on the fifth floor. My uni is surrounded by forest, so my new job has given me some awesome birding opportunities.

Look forward to hearing what other people do.

Also, I hope other people start some new threads within the social forum - maybe we could have threads about movies, books, our social lives etc.

Thanks,
Andy.

daggert
daggert's picture

Your not going to believe this but I drive trains for a living. I am a 38 yr old woman. Been driving now for 10 yrs next Jan(09), with time off for good behaviour, I mean kids...ha ha
I am always looking out the windows trying to spot birds and other fauna. I work out of Northam in WA so I mainly travel around our wheatbelt area, going as far as Kulin in the south and Miling/Dalwallinu to the north. East we go as far as Mukinbudin and Beacon. Which probably means nothing to our eastern staters but what the hell. All up it is about 1000+km of track. To unload the grain we take our trains to Kwinana on the coast, about 40km south of Perth, and to get there we go through the Avon Valley Nat Park. Very beautiful during winter.

Green
Green's picture

G'Day All :-)
My occupation is lawn mowing. So I am out in other ppls gardens all the time! It's great for bird spotting!I mostly see the same kinds of birds as in my garden, but on occasions I come across something I can't identify.
I live on the beautiful south coast of NSW. Have done for all of my 41 years.
I am married (just celebrated 18 years) & my husband shares my interest for bird spotting too.
I have 2 girls (15 & 12) & they like to tell me about what the birds are doing in our garden. It's becoming a family thing :-)

Andy
Andy's picture

Green, that's great that your family is involved in the birdy stuff. My sister (not a birdy person) phones me if she sees or hears a bird, and describes it in great detail. People at work have also started mimicking bird calls that they hear at home so that I can identify the bird. It's quite funny.

Daggert, I'm not familiar with the places that you've mentioned (I live in Brisbane) but it must be lovely to go through the national park. Seen any interesting birds there?

Anyone else have jobs that allow them to do birdwatching (legitimately or otherwise)?

daggert
daggert's picture

Not that I can think of Andy.
There are 3 wedgie nests that I can see from the track, all of which I dont think are used, that I can tell anyway.
I mainly see ringnecks, common bronzewings, magpies and crows.
Very occasionally you see a wedgetail in the park but you do see more out in the wheatbelt area.
Really I see more here on my property than at work.
We have a resident pair here, that at certain times of year you can see them 2-3 times a day.

Holly
Holly's picture

I am manager of a little program called Birds in Backyards :)

Also just finished my PhD on the effect of urbanisation on superb fairy-wrens. Just a few minor revisions to make over the Christmas break and then it is all official.

Andy
Andy's picture

Holly I am so jealous. My PhD has nothing to do with birds (obviously), but in my crazy late-night moments I've often thought about putting a birdy sentence in to see if anyone notices :-)

Wow that's so great that you're nearly finished. Let me know if you need any proof-reading done! (Psych PhD students pay me to proof-read their theses, and my Research Assistant job involves proof-reading papers that have been submitted for publication.) I would enjoy reading a birdy thesis.

Still sulking over the fact that you're doing a birdy thesis and I'm not...

Andy
Andy's picture

Whoops just re-read your post, Holly, and noticed that you've actually finished your thesis, and therefore won't need any proof-reading. Congratulations!

Holly
Holly's picture

Thanks Andy, yes I have finished just need to make 'minor revisions'. If I had known earlier I definitely would have sent it to you to proof-read, I am kicking myself that I didn't pay someone to do it.

I have just had one my papers published if you want to read it - its on the vegetation requirements of superb fairy-wrens.

Andy
Andy's picture

Yeah that would be good Holly. If you let me know the title of the paper I'll find it.

Hey maybe you know something about this: I've often wondered about doing a research PhD in ornithology. Obviously, I have a basic knoweldge of research design and analysis. If I wanted to do a birdy PhD as my midlife career (in 25 years), would I need to have completed a bio science undergrad degree? Or would my research skills suffice? I'm thinking (hoping) that maybe if I didn't actually want to do hands-on birdy work, I might not need to have done a bio science degree? Do you know anything about the requirements relating to prior study?

I'm sure you have access to Research Assistants, but if you ever need anything proof-read, let me know. You won't find a better proof-reader! ;-) You can "pay" me by showing me birds if I'm ever down your way.

Holly
Holly's picture

Great Andy, you have a deal!

It certainly helps to have a bio/ecology undergrad background, but it isn't necessary. I know someone with an engineering background who is doing an ecology PhD looking at mapping vegetation communities - not at all related to his undergrad!

The paper is in Emu - its in the latest issue.

Gelmir
Gelmir's picture

I'm a technical support person for the Dept of Education in Sydney.
Not much birding involved unfortunately. :^(

soakes
soakes's picture

I work as a computer programmer.

I recently purchased a property in Gippsland and it is there that I do all my birdwatching and other getting-back-to-nature activities.

Aside from birds, I have wallabies, wombats, possums, echidnas and platypusses on my property. :-) I even saw a koala once, but it was just passing through. There are also rabbits, foxes and the odd cat. :-(

I only spend a relatively small part of my time watching birds - usually when I'm walking through the bush or puttering around on my tractor.

- soakes

soakes
Olinda, Victoria, Australia

Jennywren
Jennywren's picture

Definately not many birds in my line of work either! I work in admin for a company that sells Agricultural machinery. The salesmen see more birds than I. Although they tend to bring back the occasional one imbedded in the front of their cars and insist on telling me about it! Grrrrrrr

SharonS
SharonS's picture

I am a stay at home mum of 2 young kids, I am very lucky in that we live in a very birdie area of the NSW Central Coast. But a screaming baby can and often does scare the birds away!!

We also have a thriving colony of Bandicoots, Brush Tailed possums and bush rats, there is also, according to the neighbours, a couple of large pythons but I am yet to sight them.

Sharon

justahun
justahun's picture

I am a Quality and Regulatory Manager at a 3PL operation. I would love to work with animals though. I guess ten pets count as working with animals? (1 horse, 6 cats, 3 dogs)

Redbrowfinch
Redbrowfinch's picture

I am retired & lucky to be able to spend much time observig my birds & other animals.
What a delightful idea soakes to suggest this fotum.

Anyone chat to their Backyard birds etc. Their behaviour can be unteresting & is another way of enjoying the species.

I am sure the forum will be succecful

soakes
soakes's picture

Ah, thanks Finchy, but I don't think I suggested this forum. I just did a quick scan of recent topics to try and find out who did, but I couldn't find the relevant thread! I think it might have been Andy.

- soakes

soakes
Olinda, Victoria, Australia

SharonS
SharonS's picture

Hey there Redbrowfinch, I talk to my backyard birds everyday, actually anytime I go outside there is usually someone there to talk to. The Lorikeets and the Green Catbirds will stick around for a chat, especially if I am heading to our compost area. The resident Tawny frogmouth's are usually grumpy during the day and snap their beaks when my kids are having tantrums on the driveway under their tree. One night one stopped for a chat when I was taking the garbage bins out. I love talking to the birds, and lizards, possums and bandicoots too. My kids will grow up to think I am crazy, well maybe they will be right, just a little.
Sharon.

WildInsights
WildInsights's picture

Hi Redbrowfinch, Sharon, I talk to the birds too, but in a slightly different way. My occupation.. I'm an animal communicator and healer. Most of my work is with pets, but I do get the chance to work with wild animals when I'm volunteering as a wildlife rescuer (every other day!)

Andy
Andy's picture

Yes 'twas me (Andy) who suggested the social forum, and started the "occupation" thread. I thought it would be nice to be able to chat casually about birdy stuff and non-birdy stuff. I'm glad that people like the social forum :-)

It's been interesting to read about everyone's occupation.

Yes, Justahun, owning 10 pets does constitute "work" :-).

aa
aa's picture

hi guys, i have no job right now hehehe.....that's what you called in the phils, tambay hehehe.....we just flew in, me and my 2 kids but my wife works here for almost 2 years now :)

commish
commish's picture

Hi All,

I am also a train driver, not working at the moment, well since Nov 2008. I also drive steam trains too for a hobby.
This bird thingy I seem to have fallen into by accident here. They were just something hang around out side, but with Maggies have a nest in the tree next door got me a bit interested in them. Both the 2 young they had died, one within a few hours of felling out of the nest & the other a day or so later. It got me wondering if there could have been something we could done & looking to know a bit more about them & other birds.

One thing I guess with birds, I only need to go outside in my yard to find them. Unlike when looking to photographing trains got to go to them.

daggert - How long have you been in Avon Yard?

Cheers to all,

Commish

commish
commish's picture

Hi All,

I am also a train driver, not working at the moment, well since Nov 2008. I also drive steam trains too for a hobby.
This bird thingy I seem to have fallen into by accident here. They were just something hang around out side, but with Maggies have a nest in the tree next door got me a bit interested in them. Both the 2 young they had died, one within a few hours of felling out of the nest & the other a day or so later. It got me wondering if there could have been something we could done & looking to know a bit more about them & other birds.

One thing I guess with birds, I only need to go outside in my yard to find them. Unlike when looking to photographing trains got to go to them.

daggert - How long have you been in Avon Yard?

Cheers to all,

Commish

daggert
daggert's picture

Been in Avon for 5 yrs all up and have worked out of Kalgoorlie,Collie and Bunbury, while training.

commish
commish's picture

Hi All,

daggert, I still keep in touch with Roy, so yes I know who I am talking too...LOL..I was in Avon 2003 - 2005, then Port Lincoln, Broken Hill & Adelaide. At the moment I am in very hot Adelaide for a few days.

Had a run in with the Coppers here in Adelaide 3 weeks ago today. They decided to sieze my camera for takeing photos around Semaphore are, the Summer festival have there in the school holidays. Come down yesty to pick me gear up, after the complaint I put in, so that still to be followed up by IIB.

Anyway, cheers for now,

Commish

Birdyboys
Birdyboys's picture

I work in admin/dispatch for the company that makes the ice cream sticks. I don't see many birds out of my work window except the odd plover or two on top of wood chip heap, playing I'm the king of the castle!

I talk to my birds at home all the time, I sure the neighbours think I've gone round the bend.

raysimula
raysimula's picture

I am an electrician but I work on a coffee plantation in Northern NSW as a dogsbody. My main job is processing coffee cherries into dried bean ready for sale to roasters. I also maintain the machinery and work on the farming side when required. We have a large range of birds on the farm, I have noted 95 species to date (some I've only seen once). I am nearing retirement age now and have had an interest in birds all my life. I find it incredible how little most Aussies Know about our native birds.
Ray

VernJ
VernJ's picture

What is your occupation?
17/12/08 4:34 PM
Hi Andy et al:

My wife (Wen) and I are semi retired. I ended my working life, as a business analyst and strategic account manager. My wife is a training designer and small business consultant. We live on the south side of Brisbane, in the middle of the suburb belt. A 40 year old suburb, of tree lined blocks, but just 20Ks from the city. We are in a Noisy Miner patch of perhaps ½ Sq Km . A huge clan space and exclusion zone for most every thing else; so mostly it's the N-M's, our resident Butcher Bird pair and the local Magpie Clan. It is still a huge privilege to watch just those three bird species live out their destinies on a daily basis.

I belong to a local golf club, which provides a far wider range of bird watching opportunities. (Golf courses are huge nature reserves, birds love them, but non-golfers do feel a little excluded).

Wen and I are trying to build more twitching opportunities into our travels. Even our local picnic days seem to yield amazing diversity … but perhaps it’s more to do with us being more aware.
Cheers!

VJ

VernJ
VernJ's picture

What is your occupation?
17/12/08 4:34 PM
Hi Andy et al:

My wife (Wen) and I are semi retired. I ended my working life, as a business analyst and strategic account manager. My wife is a training designer and small business consultant. We live on the south side of Brisbane, in the middle of the suburb belt. A 40 year old suburb, of tree lined blocks, but just 20Ks from the city. We are in a Noisy Miner patch of perhaps ½ Sq Km . A huge clan space and exclusion zone for most every thing else; so mostly it's the N-M's, our resident Butcher Bird pair and the local Magpie Clan. It is still a huge privilege to watch just those three bird species live out their destinies on a daily basis.

I belong to a local golf club, which provides a far wider range of bird watching opportunities. (Golf courses are huge nature reserves, birds love them, but non-golfers do feel a little excluded).

Wen and I are trying to build more twitching opportunities into our travels. Even our local picnic days seem to yield amazing diversity … but perhaps it’s more to do with us being more aware.
Cheers!

VJ

marj
marj's picture

I'm a lecturer at a uni. We have a bushland campus - not as great as Griffith but still with some birding opportunities as it is adjacent to a wetlands reserve.

Flexible work hours let me do more birding than if I had to work 9 - 5.

Andy you could look at people's relationships with wild birds. Draw on your psych background and have us as willing subjects :-)

Tazrandus
Tazrandus's picture

When I grow up, I would love to do some serious studies on Ornithology and work on a PhD. Right now I am just a secondary school student not even in my senior years yet so you can consider me to be a "fledgling" in society.
It's great to hear a lot of people here are avid bird researchers or do some wildlife-related jobs! WildInsights, you seem to have a great occupation! Saving the wildlife and talking to them! You'd do a great part in protecting the environment! I wish I could talk to birds...

Taz

Andy
Andy's picture

Tazrandus, it's great that you're into the birdy stuff at such a young age! Even I, as a 26-year-old, am probably one of the younger birdy people. I was really keen on ornithology from the age of 7 years, and would love to do my (2nd) PhD in ornithology (that will be my midlife career, in 25 years).

Where abouts are you (sorry if you've mentioned this elsewhere). Do you have birdy friends? It wasn't until I was at uni that I met a birdy girl. Neither of us are stereotypical birdy people, though (i.e., we're not what non-birdy people consider birdy people to be). People are often a little confused, and look me up and down a couple of times, when I say that I like birds.

Andy.

Tazrandus
Tazrandus's picture

Hi Andy!
I live in urban NSW, close to Sydney.
Unfortunately, I know of no friends who are into much birdy stuff :( I'm glad that you met another birdy friend in real life! I don't see what is so strange in liking birds, I don't get how people can get surprised if someone admits that they like birds, EVERYONE LOVES BIRDS! Well, most people I know find them pretty adorable and a tad bit fascinating but they do not spend time observing them at an opportunity. It's like saying "I like cats, I find them very cute" when they don't even own one nor do they know much about them...
Well, I'm glad I've found several people of the same interests here :)
If you are doing your 2nd PhD in Ornithology, I'll wish you much success on that! It's great to see that you were interested in birds since the mere age of 7 :)

Taz

SpotFocus
SpotFocus's picture

Not many birds in my work place as a Fitter/turner/welder but I did spend my early years on a small farm in NZ and spent 4 years as a Trout Flyfishing Guide later on as well as 10 years as a honary warranted wildlife Range for NZ fish and game.

Cheers
Nick

 and   @birdsinbackyards
                 Subscribe to me on YouTube