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Blackcap

3 June 2019 by Simon Barnes 5 Comments

June 2

There are a few bits of essential equipment for wildlifers recommended in my book Rewild Yourself, including the all-essential supermarket carrier bag, and of course a copy of Basho’s haikus. But I forgot the hammock. The keen pursuer of wildlife can’t afford to be without on.

I took to my hammock on the second day of Wild June, and from its depths I listened to a solo recital from a bird in the ash-tree above me. Swaying slightly, hat over my eyes, I was able to give my full attention to the song. And what a rather funky old bird it was.

It was a blackcap, but a blackcap who had chosen to go beyond normal limits of blackcapkind: a blackcap sans frontieres. The voice was strong and marvellously sweet, exceptionally so even by the standards of his rivals. But his song was more complicated than theirs, prone to long, rather rambling explorations of his own music. I would have mistaken him for a garden warbler if it wasn’t for the operatic quality of those big notes.

And then, every now and then, usually after a pause to regroup, he moved into a full reed warbler song, rhythmic, insistent, driving, sounding like the song of the reeds themselves – except that he was 20 foot up in an ash-tree. After a sustained 20-second burst of reed warbler he would then dramatically break free from his own self-elected restraint, bursting into a sweet melody again, like a solo vocalist singing a high melodic response to the summoning drums, as I have often heard in African villages. 

This was no automaton, mindlessly spouting a noise he was incapable of understanding, the mere plaything of his genes. Here was an individual, trumpeting his individuality to all who would listen. 

I am not a number! I am a free blackcap!

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Posted in Wildblog

Comments

  1. Heather says

    3 June 2019 at 7:55 pm

    We stood and listened to a singing black cap at Strumpshaw today. It stood proud in the top of a willow and appeared oblivious to the small crowd gathered below listening intently to its song. Maybe the trumpeting routine is catching on!

    Reply
    • Simon Barnes says

      17 June 2019 at 6:50 pm

      Black caps are just natural performers, lost in the music…

      Reply
  2. Peter Annear says

    4 June 2019 at 7:20 am

    We have been enjoying a very talented garden warbler in our garden on the edge of a Zagorian mountain as we rebuild our retaining wall. This morning, joy of joys a beautiful slightly muted virtuoso performance from a nightingale

    Reply
    • Simon Barnes says

      17 June 2019 at 6:50 pm

      Not bad, ey? Have a retsina for me.

      Reply
  3. Anthony Bird says

    13 June 2019 at 10:02 pm

    Fantastic story once again, but can anybody tell me the absolute bestest way for a 77yr old very deaf man to hear the song, please.

    Reply

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