the river worth and me.

A couple of weeks ago we were sent a charming video of a dipper feeding a fledgling on the River Worth in Keighley. We were so impressed we asked the sender if he would like to write a blog about it for us and here it is. We hope that it will inspire people to get out along the river like Liam and really see the beauty in small things.....
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Liam's blog

The bird that started it all - Bullfinch.

You’re probably wondering who I am, so let’s start there.

My name’s Liam. I’m 35, a dad, born and bred in Keighley, and—somewhat unexpectedly—I’m completely obsessed with birds.

That obsession didn’t come from a childhood packed with countryside walks or a lifelong love of wildlife. In fact, if you’d asked me a few years ago about birding, I’d have probably shrugged and changed the subject.
Everything changed in late 2021 when I moved into a new home beside the River Worth.

For someone who now spends every spare moment outdoors, I’m almost embarrassed to admit that at first, I barely noticed it. The river was just… there. Background scenery. Something you glance at through a window and forget about entirely.
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Then one day in early 2023, during yet another afternoon working at my desk, something caught my eye.
Perched proudly on my garden wall was a bird I’d never really looked at before—plump, confident, with a soft peach-coloured chest and a chunky beak that looked like it meant business. I’d later learn its name: Bullfinch.
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That moment was the spark. I’d always known there was a trail behind my house—one of those places you mentally file away but never actually visit. For reasons I still can’t explain, I decided that day to step outside and follow it. No expectations. No grand plan. Just curiosity.

Within five minutes, I saw them again. Not just one Bullfinch this time, but several—chirping away, flickering through the branches, their colours bursting against the lush green of the woodland. I stopped in my tracks. I’d lived here all this time and had never noticed them. Never noticed any of this.
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That small stretch of woodland and that quiet, unassuming river cracked something open inside me. This was the moment I truly fell down the rabbit hole.
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Goldcrest - the smallest European bird.

The binoculars came next. Then—inevitably—an admittedly obnoxiously large camera lens. And just like that, my daily routine changed forever.

Since then, I’ve been out almost every day. Before work. After work. Rain or shine. Always asking the same question: what might I see today? The answer is never boring.

The biodiversity right outside my back door continues to amaze me. The seasons roll through—each one bringing new species, behaviours, colours, and moments that feel like they’re happening just for you, if you’re lucky enough to notice.
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So far, I’ve recorded well over 50 different bird species. My favourite? The Kingfisher—an electric flash of blue that rockets up and down the river like it owns the place.
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Chiffchaff - you can hear their chiffchaff calls along the river now.

But this year, something happened that pushed this passion even deeper.

I was doing my usual after-work walk—the kind I’ve done a thousand times without thinking twice. I heard it before I saw anything: the unmistakable, cheerful cheep of a Dipper. A sound that always makes me smile.
As the call grew louder, the bird flew upstream and landed. Then I heard something different—a frantic, high-pitched commotion. I stopped. Sat down. Kept my distance.

And then it appeared.

A tiny Dipper chick emerged from beneath an overhanging tree, wobbling with determination, drawn out by the promise of food from its parent. Brave. Vulnerable. Perfect. I watched in complete silence as the exchange played out. No rushing. Just me and a moment that felt like a privilege rather than an accident.

I stayed until the light faded, then quietly left them in peace. Moments like that make you realise how much we miss.

​People look at places like Keighley and see old mills and tired shop fronts. But if you take that first step outside—really take it—you’ll find wild, breathing, thriving worlds tucked into the cracks. Hidden in plain sight.

That little Bullfinch opened a door I didn’t even know existed. Now it’s an obsession I share with my nine-year-old son and my girlfriend. The River Worth has become our home away from home.

Huge thanks to River Worth Friends and the volunteers whose tireless work keeps this place alive—you’re genuinely incredible.

So that’s me. A once-oblivious thirty-something, now a camera-wielding, bird-obsessed nerd—and honestly, I wouldn’t change a thing.

And the best part? I feel like this journey is only just beginning.

Thank you for reading, maybe we’ll bump into each other on the trail some time.
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All the pictures and video were shot by Liam on the Worth. To see more visit his excellent Instagram page - The Amateur Lensman

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