Common Scoter (12th April 2021)
There was a light wind from the west, and it was cold for the time of year – minus two degrees with a little light snow falling; sunset was at 20:05. Between 22:00 and 23:00, above the noise, I heard series of simple soft and rhythmical whistles: pyu – pyu – pyu – pyu … with individual members of the flock audible at different times and at slightly varying frequencies – so, although the calls themselves were minimal, mesmerising cross rhythms occurred – I had recorded three flocks of Common Scoter. One hundred thousand of these all-dark sea ducks spend winter off British coasts. As I am thirty miles inland, I knew these were on migration, heading from the Solway Firth, crossing the country through the Tyne Gap to the Northumberland coast and onwards out over the North Sea in darkness.
I wonder if some of my recorded calls belong to birds that died in storms crossing the sea or struck a wind turbine or met their end at a lighthouse window.
Redwing (21st March 2021)
Sunset 18:21, end of civil twilight, 18:58.
Even the string-like terminal branches on the tall aspen are still. In the tree top opposite, a robin signs – plaintive. A soft distant roar reaches me from the dual carriageway. I have my big coat and hat on. Another robin sings – this one down the bridleway that leads to the reservoir.
I should do this more – just sit and listen.
The sky above just holds some of the day’s blue. This imperceptibly grades to grey on the northern horizon and towards the west there is a hint of warmth. Caw caw caw – far-off. It is spring, but you wouldn’t know it; trees are still bare silhouettes against the remains of the light. Cloud has been creeping from the west and now above are some sketchy white-grey shapes. Again a crow caws at the limit of my hearing, then the day-birds fall silent, and the road noise intrudes.
Half the sky is covered.
19:24 – First Tawny Owl call.
Feet are cold.
The sky is now like the skin of a toad.
A flock of eight Redwings fly over on migration –
Zzeer, Zzeeer, Zeer Zzzeeeer, Zzeeerr, Zer, Zzeeer, Zzeieerip.
Jim Lloyd
Jim Lloyd is a winner in the Rialto ‘Nature and Place’ poetry competition. His poems have appeared in various magazines including: The Rialto, Stand, Wales Haiku Journal, and One Hand Clapping. He is studying for an arts practice-based PhD at Newcastle University, considering avian perception. He lives in Northumberland.
This work has been previously published in a different form by Fragmented Voices.
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