Lovely stuff. We've been enjoying / fretting about lapwings (and chicks!) in a new place on one of our regular walking routes locally - hoping they make it through.
Lapwing have the same affect on me, not that I could put it in words so beautifully. But, that I had the time for all the art that single moment can inspire. There is grief too, a yearning for the huge fenland flocks of my youth. I have always been useless at learning birdsong, slowly but surely Merlin and Birdnet are healing that. Hearing a song and repeatedly getting the backup ID is such a great tool for me.
It's fascinating to think that we have these Cuckoo sub speices: Reed Warbler, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit etc. are the males similarly split into the same groups?
I don't know why, but I get chaffinch and willow warbler mixed up in my head.
Growing up, I thought Derek Underwood was a typical left arm bowler. How wrong I was. We haven't seen anyone remotely like him since. My Dad thought Hedley Verity a similar style and pace.
Lapwings in flight are amazing to see, not seen very often these days sadly.
The whole biology around the cuckoo's nest parasitism is fascinating.
I love listening to chaffinches singing, to me they each have a different little phrase at the end of the song, some sing 'tout de suite'; some sing 'see you soon' just as two examples. I never watched enough cricket as a child for the fast bowler mnemonic to work
'watching the John Player League with the curtains drawn' - no greater pleasure
Lovely stuff. We've been enjoying / fretting about lapwings (and chicks!) in a new place on one of our regular walking routes locally - hoping they make it through.
A wonderful piece. Cricket behind curtains is a shared and special experience.
The sound of reedbed, waving in the summer breeze, alive with reed warbler 'song' is right up there with swifts for the sound of summer.
Lapwings though. Not a fan of all their bling and fax machine calls.
Thanks Ian. Sorry you’re immune to the joy of peewits.
I get by. Someone has to be a LBJ fan
Lapwing have the same affect on me, not that I could put it in words so beautifully. But, that I had the time for all the art that single moment can inspire. There is grief too, a yearning for the huge fenland flocks of my youth. I have always been useless at learning birdsong, slowly but surely Merlin and Birdnet are healing that. Hearing a song and repeatedly getting the backup ID is such a great tool for me.
Your whole bit about the train and the lapwings and the Eternal Bird Memories was really, really beautiful writing.
Thank you so much, Sarah.
It's fascinating to think that we have these Cuckoo sub speices: Reed Warbler, Dunnock, Meadow Pipit etc. are the males similarly split into the same groups?
I don’t know, but somehow doubt it.
I don't know why, but I get chaffinch and willow warbler mixed up in my head.
Growing up, I thought Derek Underwood was a typical left arm bowler. How wrong I was. We haven't seen anyone remotely like him since. My Dad thought Hedley Verity a similar style and pace.
It’s the descending song. I often describe willow warbler as like a softer, more melancholy chaffinch. Would have loved to see Verity bowl.
A delight as always, Lev.
I read the Lapwing and Reed Warbler out to my non-twitcher husband for the sheer joy of language and description.
Thank you for conjuring moments of your life to add to the magical moments of mine.
And thank you for your kind words!
There’s a chaffinch nest in a tree overhanging our front garden. It’s a perfect little cup shape - like half a cricket ball.
Lapwings in flight are amazing to see, not seen very often these days sadly.
The whole biology around the cuckoo's nest parasitism is fascinating.
I love listening to chaffinches singing, to me they each have a different little phrase at the end of the song, some sing 'tout de suite'; some sing 'see you soon' just as two examples. I never watched enough cricket as a child for the fast bowler mnemonic to work