Natural History Encounters - Foreword. Natural History Encounters is a smorgasbord of the Author’s experiences from primary school awakenings in the north of Ireland, then college in Scotland, to living in later life in the south of England. While the geography and recording technology may change, the common threads are close encounters and observations of the natural world. The book is divided into 5 main sections: Awakenings, Arrivals, Awareness Acceptance and Au revoir totalling 20 short stories with a poem – by the author and guests – to start each part. Awakenings covers the impressionable years at Crumlin Primary School, where drawing and tracing birds was a major preoccupation. The first poem, story and photograph embrace the early freedoms the previous generation had. Parents actively encouraged you to pack nothing but a black and white kodak instamatic camera, to walk miles recording spring alone in the countryside, perhaps unthinkable and reckless today. The transition of moving countries is also included in this chapter which while daunting was much to celebrate in natural history terms – I had never seen a woodpecker before, but I did miss the curlews. This section finishes with the stimulating encounters experienced in a tropical country. Arrivals covers a different transition where the business of life - marriage, familial priorities and divorce – unfolds leading to the real solace that only nature can provide. A new contentment is the result and these short stories include wonderful holiday and sabbatical moments for the author to savour wild places when alone or in community with others. Awakenings includes encounters working with children - both primary school aged and secondary students in nature’s classroom. Jocular moments are recalled of incidents where we all learned. Acceptance comes when living on a farm in the South Downs for 27 years (including eventual re-marriage) and is the heart of the book - close encounters. This gave me an entitlement to stride out on my own patch whether to record for the BTO Bird Atlas 2011/2015 or just for good exercise which benefits health. What is recorded here is the unexpected encounter with wildlife which can be shared on social media. In fact, the modern era means that it is easier than ever with phone camera in pocket to photograph, research and record. However, there is a challenge when it is all at your fingertips to settle in a chair and enjoy the pixelated version. If this book does nothing else but to get you out of your chair to experience nature in its full sensory 3D version, I will have succeeded. As I said in one of the very short stories in this section if you come across a close up of a stoat or fox in the wild it is a moment to drop everything, including the camera, and savour. In Au revoir I say goodbye to my old home village with family in a spectacular encounter. Then I veer into the mystery genre in what is a true story, reminding us all that not everything is explainable. The modern era also ends with a pleasurable visit to Jamaica.  David Melville, Lewes, October 2020.