17cm long, 31 grams
I would be lost without nature.
Not only does it define me, but it shapes my world. Even as I am sat here, typing this sequence of letters, I have the music of BBC's Blue Planet II serenading in my ears. The natural world is something we can't contain, no matter how hard we try as humans, we cannot tame the power and sense to be truly W I L D.
As a young graduate, it became my daily routine to be frantically checking emails and job sites for the ever slight and minuscule opportunity which may fall into my 13" screen. So I decided to be a "take a chance" kind of girl. Leaving the security of my homeland town up north, I braved a move to the city of Brighton. With Ocean to one side and the rolling hills of the South Downs to the other, I was able to move to a city which was still, in my mind, green. No really, it is actually green, Caroline Lucas green. It's fresh to be able to reside somewhere where I actually feel I can agree with my neighbours on subjects such as politics, brex-SHIT and the importance of our healthcare system. But back to my point, nature....in a city..."where?" I hear you ask! Well, here is where this blog comes in. I hope to be able to share with you, and by the way - thank you to the one person who may actually be reading this, my encounters with nature, even in cities.
So, back to my move to Brighton.
Queens Park. This is my street and nestled on the fringes of one of Brighton's many green spaces. Spaces which, when you want some juicy nature in your lunch break, you can get your quick and easy fix of all good things W I L D. Small to us, but a big succulent food source to birds, this park is a little hub of life. One end you'll be surrounded by dogs and their people, the other, children and their people and right in the centre, the beating heart to it all. A wildlife pond. With the irritatingly high-pitched squeaky gates, this pond is encompassed with life.
It is no shock that the first you set eyes on, and hear for that matter, is the "JUST GIVE ME FOOD" call of the immature Herring Gulls. And immature they are, I mean c'mon guys...you're gulls, birds full of initiative and ingenuity, at least make an attempt to find something yourself! But no, they pester their poor parents, and any passer by for a mere morsel of anything edible, sometimes even inedible. But to me, their the pure epitome of 'city slickers'.
Acting continuously nonchalant, inching closer up behind you as you delve into your long-awaited lunch for the day. From the pure excitement of opening the Bagelman wrapping, knowing this will be 'a good one', to then being instantly switched to defence mode due to the white flash in your peripheral vision. God forbid any bird take this glorious concoction of bagel, avocado and salad away from you. From declining natural food sources, it is no wonder these birds have 'moved in' or as I see it, become fenced in with our ever growing bricks and mortar diminishing their skyline.
But the Gull's story is for another time. Back to the park. My first trip here could have been on better terms, I'm not gonna lie! I had just received some disappointing news and needed a little nature fix, and oh my did I get one. For not only had I managed to feed some pigeons from my hand, what can I say, it's a gift! But I had heard one of the most distinct calls of the bird world.
In the middle of the city, nestled in this small valley, surrounded by a symphony of unnatural noises, this call carried above all else, even those squeaky gates, and hit me like a dart. I picked up my leisurely stroll pace and broke into a "hang on a minute, that was a.." pace. Once again, it rang out and just as I reached the ponds concrete edge, I saw it. That exquisite and unmistakable dash of blue, the colour of true royalty....the K I N G F I S H E R.
How long have they been here? Do other people know about them? Are they a breeding pair? All of these questions flooded my mind and fuelled my curiosity of these 31 grams of blue. How such a small bird can make home in such a large city and go un seen to so many passer by's. But then, this is what enchants me so much about wildlife and their dexterity to a world of noise and chaos so unnatural to them, yet ordinary to us.
