September 7th 2015 – Megan Shersby, Naturalist

Unlike many of the contributors to Biotweeps, I’m not in academia though I read BSc(Hons) Animal Science at Aberystwyth University and have considered doing a Masters in the future.  Instead, I work in environmental education and community engagement – namely talking to people about nature.

I am a naturalist. Not an expert (yet!), but an enthusiast who is  inspired by the natural world around me and trying to learn as much as possible, about as much as possible. Unlike many of my contempories, I somehow skipped being a birder and gone straight to insects. That isn’t to say I do not like birds, on the contrary, I love them! But if I attempt to go birdwatching, I inevitably get distracted by insects! Moths are a particular favourite of mine, as they are underappreciated by many but are endlessly fascinating.

I am of the firm believer that we all started out as naturalists, children are inevitably curious about the world around them, and it is only as we grow older that (some of) us lose that curiousity and interest. Sometimes it is due to other distractions, sometimes it is due to peer pressure. However, that spark of joy can be rediscovered within ourselves. Whether it is listening to birdsong, watching a caterpillar eating or viewing the change across seasons, we can reconnect with nature and welcome back our young naturalists into our hearts.

I’ll mainly be tweeting about the following topics, which are close to my heart, but I may also venture into other areas of discussion:

• wildlife, particularly the moths of course
• the difficult path to getting a career in conservation
• young people and nature
• the benefits of connecting with nature

You can find me on Twitter: @MeganShersby, WordPress: mshersby.wordpress.com and YouTube.