Simon Barnes Author and Journalist

Sports and Wild Blog

Simon Barnes
  • Home
  • Biog
  • Blog
  • Books
  • Pictures
  • Contact
  • Twitter

Whitethroat

14 June 2020 by Simon Barnes 5 Comments

June 9

You are not just a member of a species. You are also an individual. That is true for any representative of Homo sapiens who might be reading these words, that is equally true of the representative of Sylvia communis who would be witnessing their composition if he wasn’t so busy right now.

The privilege of knowing a bird as an individual comes more often to garden-lovers than birdwatchers. Garden people, both the active and the passive kind, get to know the regulars as people: spade-sitting robin, hard-working wren or acrobatic blue tit.

Knowing a member of a species as a distinct individual is the key to ethology, the study of animal behaviour. It is also a great pleasure to those who look at nature without such structure.

I was discussing the work of Carl Safina in this space a few days ago; in a previous book Beyond Words he talked about Twenty-One: a wolf in Yellowstone National Park. Twenty-One never lost a fight and never once killed a vanquished opponent. Those who watched him called him “the perfect wolf”.

Perhaps the bird I see every day from my desk is the perfect whitethroat. I have heard him singing since mid-April: the best whitethroats turn their scratchy old song into a joyous avant-garde melody. 

This bird has sung from the fallen willow, the one I refused to have cut into logs. He has also sung from the lower branches of the big ash and from the post I put there for birds to sing from. He has been bold and strong – and crucially, tireless. 

Right now he is in the midst of rearing a brood. I see him, on the post, with food in his beak, looking around scrupulously for peril of all kinds before dropping down to feed the young ones; the nest is just below the post, though I haven’t sought to disturb its occupants.

He has worked incessantly, in song, in display flights and now in feeding. He seems to be a bird at the absolute peak of his powers. Perhaps his offspring will be singing here next year. A name would, I think, demean him — but you can call him Twenty-One if you like. 

Share this:

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Posted in Wildblog

Comments

  1. sarah riley says

    14 June 2020 at 10:00 pm

    I have a male blackbird who is very tame and hops around my feet when I’m sitting outside. He also feeds, with a bit of a scramble, on the fat balls. This is the first time I’ve seen this.

    Reply
  2. jaybeemcJB says

    15 June 2020 at 9:43 am

    Enjoyed this piece, thank you ! Hope Eddie is still writing and drawing.

    Reply
  3. CHARLES FARR says

    15 June 2020 at 4:17 pm

    Great to hear about the happenings on your patch of natural Norfolk

    Reply
  4. Alan P says

    15 June 2020 at 4:17 pm

    Great post Simon, Whitethroats are always a pleasure to hear. I like the ‘benign neglect’ approach to the fallen willow, we are too tidy at times.

    Reply
  5. lindy roy says

    16 June 2020 at 3:17 pm

    Heart warming & lovely:)

    Reply

Please leave a comment Cancel reply

Receive Blog Updates By Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to my blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 5,420 other subscribers.

Recent Comments

  • Penny Woollams on Swift as a bow from an arrow…
  • Rob Howell on Swift as a bow from an arrow…
  • Jolyon Barton on Swift as a bow from an arrow…
  • Michael Clark on Cousin Caterpillar… one day he’ll wake with wings
  • Alan P on Swift as a bow from an arrow…

Categories

  • Myblog (7)
  • Sportsblog (7)
  • Wildblog (215)

Archives

  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • July 2018
  • May 2018
  • February 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • June 2017
  • April 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014

© Simon Barnes · info@simonbarnesauthor.co.uk
Home page photograph © David Bebber · Bird drawings © foxillustration.com
Created by Purple Hippo

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.