Saturday 9th July (On the Finch)


Mr. Kite looked out of his bedroom window onto the Large-leaved Lime trees that swayed in the gentle breeze. The sun shone through a thin layer of cloud. Today the birds were silent.

Today Mr. Kite decided to be Mr. Lazy, Mr. Book-Worm, Mr. Bird-Watcher and Mr. Beer-Drinker; so that should make a good day. Mr. Lazy decided not to take The Beast for a trip in Sunny Salopia. Now Mr. Book-Worm read some columns in The Times including Simon Barnes writing about Terns. In this article Barnes refers to Terns as sea-swallows and Mr. Kite found this very interesting because Thomas Bewick, writing in the eighteenth century, referred to them as La Grande Hirondelle de Mer. In France the Swallow is called 'Hirondelle'; so there we have it a 'large sea-swallow'.

Mr. Book-Worm was very busy reading books, newspapers and reference books. Now Mr. Book-Worm read extracts from a book that was published in 1963 that mentioned Mr. Kite's garden and described identifying birds in the local area many years ago in 1911 when the author lived in The Dwelling with his parents and brothers; one of whom became a poet and soldier.

Now Mr. Kite likes stories, coincidence and associations; being a mathematical sort of person he may describe these as 'intersections'. Anyway Mr. Kite walked into the garden to find a bird to describe and write about it.

So one hundred years later Mr. Kite went into the garden to identify, and watch, birds. Instantly a species of bird flew into the garden and went into the small Pear tree. Now this was the first time that Mr. Kite had seen this species of bird in his garden although he had lived there was eighteen years. Thomas Bewick wrote, about this species of bird, 'they are always seen in pairs'. So in the the Pear tree were  two Bullfinches in; not a Partridge in a Pear tree.

Thomas Bewick wrote, 'The bill is dusky; eyes black; the upper part of the head, the ring round the bill, and the origin of the neck fine glossy black; the back ash grey; breast an belly red; wings and tail black; the upper tail coverts and vent are white; legs dark brown. The female is very like the male, but the colours are less bright. What stood out today as Mr. Kite watched these birds in the Pear tree was the warm red colours on the breast and the white patch on the back. Having watched Bullfinches in his garden Mr. Kite felt satisfied with his short spell of being Mr. Bird-Watching.

So now it was time, it was past midday, to be Mr. Beer-Drinker. With a long day ahead Mr. Kite had filled the fridge with beer. Mr. Kites first tipple was a cool Theakston Old Peculier followed by another Old Peculiar. Cheers from Mr. Beer-Drinker who does not have to time to write anymore; only drink cool beer.