About Ben Cotton

Bird-Watcher Extraordinaire

Don’t let his boyish good looks fool you! Ben Cotton is an expert at finding, watching and identifying birds in the Isle of Man. 


He is famous within Manx twitching circles for his expertise and writings on Manx Birdlife. He is the founder of Cottonsbirds.com and has a monthly column within the esteemed journal Bird Watcher’s Digest. 


Ben offers bespoke Birding tours of the Isle of Man and has published a book “Ben Cotton on Bird Watching: The How-to, Where-to of Birding”.

image14

Bird Watching Hot Spots

Castletown

image15

About

Large birds with round head, chisel-like nose, long tongue and long finger nails for better grip


Where to Find?   

Pubs near to the steam railway station

Douglas

image16

About

 Small with distinctive silvery sheen to hair with pale eyes. Sounds “Scouse”, with a familiar call of “Ta La”

  

Where to find?

Anywhere along the Barbary Coast 

Laxey

image17

  About

Nomadic birds often wandering and settling across all bars in Laxey 

Peel

image18

 About

Regarded by some as sinister and greedy, Peel Barmaids are supreme fishers which brings them into conflict with fishermen.


Where to find them?

In the Creek! 

Port Erin

image19

  About

Port Erin birds are sociable, quarrelsome, noisy birds usually seen in small groups and often gathering into larger parties where there is plenty of free booze.


Where to find them?

Falcons Nest – back bar only

Ramsey

image20

 About

Ramsey Barmaids are familiar as the 'clowns' of the coast with their brightly coloured '80s clothes, bumpy midriff and waddling walk.


Where to find them?

Best found in the Schooner Bar or propping up the bar in the Traf. 

Ben’s Top Tips

You too can become a bird maestro like me! Just follow my top tips:

Don’t Lose Hope

Birding isn't always easy. Sometimes when you just aren't seeing what you want to see it's easy to want to give up. 


However, if you are passionate about it, no matter how difficult it is and no matter how many hurdles come your way, you should not give up. The effort will be worth it. Just remain focused and determined, and you will surely see what you were striving for.

Take a Birder Friend With You On Trips

As a birder, you will haves to visit different places to enjoy birding to the fullest. You should try to take a bird-watching enthusiast with you when going on trips. This is because they can help you in bird-watching, you can share your knowledge with them and the two of you can guide and give each other tips on birding.


Plus, when you have to be patient and look around for birds, you will not be bored and will be able to enjoy the experience to the fullest.

Ben’s Guide to Getting Started

Why you should bird watch

  And so, it’s official: bird-watching is the new must-have string to the millennial’s bow. Once regarded as the preserve of middle-aged men wearing complementary shades of olive and beige, a nationwide survey of Britain’s hobbies and interests has discovered that 32 per cent of men aged between 16 to 25 have been birding.

 

That revelation follows a recent Condé Nast Traveller magazine profile which described bird-watching as “2019’s unlikeliest craze”. The article cited former Blur front man Damon Albarn and the Elbow singer Guy Garvey as arch proponents of the new zeitgeist. Although the crueller among you may point out that they are in fact well on the way to being bona fide middle-aged men themselves.

Skills

   Once you’re in the pub and surrounded by birds, I recommend practicing a four-step approach to identification. First you judge the bird’s size and shape; then listen for any distinctive call,; take note of its behavior; and factor in what the bar environment  it’s in. I’ve got free online tutorials to let you practice each of these skills, and a free Inside Birding video series that walks you through each one.

Connections

 Bird watching can be a relaxing solo pursuit—a quiet pint at the bar with bird sightings. But birding is also a social endeavor, and the best way to learn is from other people in Cottonsbirds.com and sign up for a listserv for your area. You’ll get emails that will tell you what people have been seeing, announce local bird outings, and connect you with members of your local birding club. There’s a decent chance that someone’s leading a bird night out near you this weekend—and they’d love to have you come along. 

Have you opened a new location, redesigned your shop, or added a new product or service? Don't keep it to yourself, let folks know.