The forests slumber, they are in their long winter dream. They are not totally silent and comatose, of course. The resident birds still sing, but in a cold, muted fashion, intent only on maintaining contact with each other and warning of danger. The robust songs to declare territory and attract mates will come later. I always liken the dormant forests to sleep in humans. We can’t survive without seven or eight hours of shuteye to recharge mind and body. It is the same with … [Read more...] about A symbiosis between body and soul
On The Wing
Passport to birdland
Birdland is a magical place where it’s possible to escape all the pressures and stresses of the environment of the city created and inhabited by one species – humans – and immerse yourself in a less one-dimensional world. Birdland is nowhere in particular, and does not have to be special or noteworthy. It could be in the wildest of wild forest, or in suburbia. It could be a pristine beach, a few hectares of eucalypt woodland, or a neatly manicured city park. It could be a backyard. That’s the magic of birds; they bring beauty and wonder to every corner of the planet, wild or untamed, and my On the Wing writing is their celebration.
Once common birds at risk
Author Rachel Carson’s dystopian vision of a silent spring is rapidly being realised, according to a global survey which pays particular attention to our falling bird populations in Tasmania. The report on the state of the world’s birds reveals a biodiversity crisis largely driven by land clearance and intensive farming, with once-common species now at risk. One in eight bird species is threatened with global extinction, says the State of the World’s Birds report, a … [Read more...] about Once common birds at risk
Pathways through the cosmological landscape
The equinox came and went this autumn and I didn’t even notice. Funny that, because I’m always confused by a moment in time divided equally between night and day. I’m not alone because sometimes birds forget to migrate during the equinox in mid-March and start to sing, because they think it’s spring. Not so the longer division of day and night, the winter solstice on June 21 this year, which records the longest night at the same time the northern hemisphere is recording the … [Read more...] about Pathways through the cosmological landscape
Diplomats with wings
Moves to bring North Korea into the international fold might have dominated the headlines in recent weeks with President Donald Trump’s intervention but a feathered ambassador travelling from both Australia and New Zealand got there first. The bar-tailed godwit, whose epic round-trip migratory journey of at least 24,000 kilometres requires a stopover in North Korea, has for the past 10 years created a conduit for communication between the “hermit state” and a western nation, … [Read more...] about Diplomats with wings
A blaze of reflected light
The weather forecast predicted a dull and overcast day for the annual Tasmania gull count this year, an apt metaphor for birds that always seem to be under a cloud. Lots of people do not like gulls, particularly silver gulls which hang around the fish punts on the waterfront, always seizing a chance to steal a chip or two. The gulls are, in fact, called “rats with wings” in some quarters and I always think this is an unfair appellation for them. Amid the squawk and squeal, … [Read more...] about A blaze of reflected light