Nature Boy: A journey of birdsong and belonging

Ornithologist Seán Ronayne always knew he was different. At school, he struggled to fit in. Only when he was surrounded by nature, listening to birdsong, did he feel a sense of calm. There, he could truly be himself. His happiest times were spent walking in the woods with his father and grandfather. So much so that his peers labelled him Nature Boy.

When, at the age of thirty-two, Seán discovered he was autistic, his life began to make sense. The feeling of inner alienation he'd carried for so long gave way to a new understanding of himself. He grew to recognize that his difference was a gift, enabling him to use his passion to help spread awareness of the beauty of the natural world -- and the danger it currently faces.

In 2021, Seán set out on this mission to be the first to record all the regularly occurring bird species in a journey of discovery and wonder that has taken him to the four corners of Ireland.

Nature Boy is the powerful story of a child who never fitted in - and a man who found his place in the world. It is a celebration of birds, connection and being true to yourself - and of the extraordinary, healing power of nature. In telling his story, Seán demonstrates how the pursuit of personal passions can be part of a collective effort to protect the world around us.