6 Comments

I recently saw a kingfisher in the only way that I only ever tend to see kingfishers, as a bullet of blue firing across the river in front of me. This is a beautiful article. I like to think that all of the harm being done to the nature around us is but a blink of an eye in the long history of the river. That once we're long gone, the river will surge on, not remembering the lumbering primates that saw fit to desecrate it for their own ends.

Expand full comment

Thank yo. That's a beautiful way of thinking about the passage of time and our influence on the landscape.

Expand full comment

Thank you for this beautiful piece of writing. I agree with you about humans forcing nature into straightjackets, only to find they're having to deal with flooding in other places. I live near Bishopstoke in Hampshire, where planning permission has been granted to build on the floodplain of the river Itchen. It's only a question of time ... . A few years ago I was lucky to have 2 kingfishers flash past me, quite unexpectedly, in vivid gold and blue. I felt very lucky.

Expand full comment

Building on flood plains just seems insane, like tempting fate. Lucky you with the kingfishers!

Expand full comment

This is a lovely and gently thought provoking read. It makes me want to mosey along to the Biel Water near my home here in Dunbar and see what signs of past and present lives I can find. I am really looking forward to What to Look for in Winter.

Expand full comment

Thanks Tammy x

Expand full comment