A Nightingale Sang in Rural Shires

I may be wrong; I may be right

But I'm perfectly willing to swear

That when you turned and smiled at me

A nightingale sang in Rural Shire.

Sunday morning saw a Nightingale announce its arrival in the old railway cutting just diagonally across from Abode Major in the Rural Shires. At first with my head in the garage tinkering with the Bentley I thought to myself, "I'm sure that sounded different from the usual cacophony of country birdsong", had a quick look about only to note a thrush alighting on next door's roof. Back into the garage. Then again the song. This time the blighter kept singing and I managed to focus the sound down to one or two bushes - it was unmistakeably a Nightingale, first of the spring and first within the village for all the 13 years we've been here.

The thing about Nigthingales is that they are largely invisible, just great songs emanating from thick cover, most often in woodland. Armed with the ever accurate Leicas I set forth to see if I could catch a brief glimpse of the songster only to discover him sat about 12 ft up a scrubby willow just coming into leaf and affording great views.

The bird is similar in shape to a Robin (part of the same family) but is around an inch longer. No red breast but warm brown on the back and head with velvety grey throat, breast and underparts. The long tail is the plumage highlight being a bright rusty-red.

So, nothing much of note from a plumage perspective but the song is something special! And this chap hasn't let us down. Snippets of song have been heard most of the day and at night he has really come alive singing through the night time silence - and so loud! On the first night Eldest Daughter couldn't sleep and landed up recording the Nightingale's song on her phone simply by leaning out of the window at one o'clock in the morning! Son and Heir who was home brief from Uni complained about that "bloody bird" as he's a fresh air freak and sleeps with all the windows open - whatever the month or temperature.

I can hear you all asking what exactly does a Nightingale sound like? How do I know if I hear one? Describing any sound in words isn't easy. How would you describe the Beetles? Or the Spice Girls? I'll therefore call upon the experts to offer their descriptions:

" The song, remarkable for its richness and variety and the extraordinary vigour of its delivery, consists of a succession of repetitive phrase, mostly in quick time and many much quicker than any other first rate British songster. Most striking are the extremely rapid, loud "chooc-chooc-chooc-chooc-chooc..." and the fluty, much higher pitched "pioo" repeated rather slowly in a magnificent crescendo". PAD Hollom, The Popular Handbook of British Birds, 4th Ed., 1982.

"Song is rich, loud and musical, each note rapidly repeated several times; most characteristic notes, a deep, bubbling 'chook-chook-chook' and a slow 'piu, piu, piu', rising to a brilliant crescendo". R Petersen, G Mountfort, PAD Hollom, A Field Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe, 4th Ed, 1983.

"Song is very characteristic and far-carrying, often audible at 1km: contains clear indrawn whistles, 'tinny' fluted 'jook' notes and rattling sequences, each theme repeated mechanically several times". Birds of Europe, L Jonsson, 1992.

So there - obvious now isn't it...not! Keys are the chook-chooks, the rapid speed and the volume.

Happy listening!

LC James

Landlocked

28th April 2010

Can I cut the Hedge on Earth Day?

Today is Earth Day. As a biologist its my veritable duty to inform you lot out there that its nothing new having been celebrated on 22 April since it was established forty years ago in 1970. It is designed to help increase awareness of the environment. And for all of you who love and crave everything Green, the very first Earth Day is credited as marking the start of the modern environmental movement. By the way that first event back in 1970 was celebrated by around 20 million people in the USA!

The question is, can I cut my hedge on Earth day? I've done some of it and if I don't get it finished I'm going to get dragged off Abroad leaving one half neatly manicured and the other looking like some dark recess of the Congo jungle!

I'd better get snipping before it gets too dark. I only hope Gaia, the Greek goddess of the Earth, will forgive me!

LC James

Landlocked

22nd April 2010

Iceland sends its Love...

For the first time in nearly a week a jet airliner has just flown over Abode Major. A welcome noise? Not really as once again the country calm here in the Rural Shires is disturbed by the roar and rumble of civil and military aircraft.

The resumption of flights presents something of a two edged sword. On the one hand, and importantly, stranded travellers can be reunited with loved ones and eased of the pressures of fretting over family, work or whatever.

On the other hand, many families have had extended time together - brought together for almost an extra week. Parents unexpectedly being around to read stories or tuck little ones in at bedtime rather than jetting to meetings in far off climes. Couples spending 'stolen' time together. Parents and grandparents seeing more of loved ones 'stranded' in the family home.

I don't deny that in some situations tempers may have frayed - and the media is only interested in such negative news - but on the whole I bet a lot of extra love has been shared and that's the big intangible plus point sent to use from our Icelandic neighbours - thank you!

LC James
Landlocked
21st April 2010

Let's Get Started...

So, after much procrastination my youngest offspring has sat me down and forced me to finally get organised enough to go through the process of creating the environment in which to place my great ramblings and meanderings.

I've written widely over the years from regular columns in provincial newspapers through to features in the the national press and on to scientific papers in learned journals. I enjoy the creative process, whether writing an article, some prose or a PowerPoint presentation. I also enjoy the act of communicating the information contained therein, and am always ready to perform to an interested audience.

As a scientist at heart - fortunately a biologist...and they tend to be far more generalist in view than most disciplines - I enjoy the challenge of "effective knowledge transfer," making the detailed techy and possible boring stuff accessible to all. Being able to communicate with whatever audience whether a village classroom of infants or lecture theatre of academics is a valuable and rather rare skill and I believe both audiences are equally worthy of not only my attention but the attention of the greatest scientists.

Over the coming weeks, months and years I'll hopefully take time out of a busy schedule to capture thoughts and ideas within the confines of this blog. And should anyone drop by for a read, you are most welcome!

LC James
Landlocked
April 2010