I first came across the name Steve Nesbitt in the Cage and Aviary weekly newspaper. I read a couple of articles he’d written about the Java Sparrow, but to be honest, I took it in like any other article… nice read…now what next??? I had no plans to keep Java Sparrows at this point. However this all changed when I was looking on the Internet for ideas on building my new birdroom.

I kept coming across Steve’s site (www.snaviaries.co.uk)

I found myself looking at Steve’s site on a regular basis and the more and more I visited his site, the more interested I became in the Java Sparrow. His website had many pages that were updated on a regular basis. I was particularly impressed with the “Java News” pages (something that Steve suggested I should put on my site) in which he documented and published a month-by-month report on the running of his birdroom.

I found Steve’s web site extremely interesting and helpful. Everything he did was comprehensively documented and it covered all you need to know about keeping Java’s.

After a couple of emails and phone calls, I arranged a trip to Steve’s home in Grantham to purchase my first birds. It was an extremely rewarding trip as I came back with a pair of “STUNNING” birds. It was also great to visit SN Aviaries “in the flesh” after seeing them on a computer screen for so long.

He told me then that once you get the Java bug, it’s difficult to stop….he was right!!!

As I found myself getting into the Java’s more and more I found out just how much effort and hard work Steve has put in to get the Java Sparrow Society (to which I am now a committee member) off the ground. The society has now gained several hundred members and is continuing to grow.

He is a legend within the bird-keeping world and his name is now synonymous with the Java Sparrow.

I can honestly say if it wasn’t for Steve I would never have even considered keeping the Java Sparrow.

Although I have only known Steve since August 05, I intend to stay in touch and maintain our friendship. I’m sure we will meet up in the future for the Aston Villa v Everton games and will endeavour to stay in touch via email and the good old fashioned telephone.

I would like to thank Steve for all the help and advice he has given me with getting me started with Java’s, and with my website, and wish him all the best in his departure from the hobby.

Thanks again mate!!

Stuart.