Books by Catherine Bootland

It took time to create a garden to look naturally wild and welcoming for wildlife where the random layout of plants and shrubs provided shelter and cover among pockets of greenery. As I watched and waited in the stillness, creatures eventually emerged going about their daily lives. They watched me watching them and then, one day, I became aware that robins watched the most. It was as if they wanted to know what I was doing. These stories were born out of that wonderful “Eureka!” moment.

The first book - “The Story of Lickel Bird” - is available via Amazon (print on demand).
The second book - “Little Bird and the Second Generation” - can be obtained by contacting me direct.

A synopsis of each book is below, with some images (click an image to open a bigger display).

The Story of Lickel Bird – A Bird’s Eye View into the Private Life of a Robin

This is the true story of a robin who lives in my garden among fences, hedges, shrubs, trees, stacks of pots and bricks and the vine on my balcony. Encouraging the garden to look naturally wild has taken some time and not only relieved me of having to initiate any expert flora planting strategies but allows the wildlife to find shelter and cover among hidden and concealed pockets of random foliage. As I look out onto the shrubs and plants and wait in the stillness, creatures eventually emerge to go about their daily lives. They know I’m there and watching them watching me became a part of everyday life. Then one day I became aware that robins watched the most, it was as if they wanted to know what I was doing. The book was born out of that eureka moment and tells the true story about my friendship with a robin who made his home in my garden. Lickel Bird or LB as he came to be known responded to human company and showed remarkable trust and attachment. During my daily contact with him I watched him perform many tasks. These observational snapshots have given me a window into his world and allowed me to share some of his busy life in all its ups and downs. He watched me in my garden long before he trusted me enough to see I was on the side of small birds and that I would be there for him in his hour of need and what he needed most in his life was food.

Little Bird and the Second Generation

The spotlight returns to my wildlife garden for the sequel to my first book. The fences, hedges, shrubs, trees, stacks of pots and bricks and the vine on my balcony are still part of the architecture of the garden and wildlife continues to find refuge and shelter among pockets of random foliage and concealed flotsam and jetsam. Survival is precariously balanced for robins and other small birds. They need to be agile and vigilant to avoid predators and withstand severe fluctuations in the weather. One Spring, I came across an exceptional little robin who became the star of the book The Story of Little Bird - a Bird’s Eye View into the Private Life of a Robin. At the end of that true story, LB was still alive and preparing to face Winter. I didn’t know then that I would meet one of his descendants who would also make his home in my garden. Little Bird and The Second Generation tells how I developed a reciprocal rapport with another of that same robin family over several months among his favourite garden haunts, allowing me to photograph and share key moments in his life. I hope this true story leads you to discover a robin in your garden who is willing to share some of his life with you.