The sky mirrored in the Kent Estuary, Arnside ‘What is that?' A weird call coming from the crown of a tall tree puzzles him and he follows our gaze. A raven in liquid two-tone note is duetting with a gravelly bass in courtship display.
‘It’s fluffing up its feathers when it does that. I’ve never heard that before and there are thousands of them round here. We noticed in lock-down.‘ The raven postures and preens before his mate, ruffling his feathers and giving voice in a resonant gurgle answered with a gruff bark.
‘It’s fluffing up its feathers when it does that. I’ve never heard that before and there are thousands of them round here. We noticed in lock-down.‘ The raven postures and preens before his mate, ruffling his feathers and giving voice in a resonant gurgle answered with a gruff bark.
It's the liquid glugging call that is so striking. I often hear it when I watch ravens in aerobatic tumbling as they ride the thermals off Scout Scar escarpment and it's always thrilling.
\If we could see clearly into the dark crown of the pine we might see bill-caressing that’s part of their courtship display. They're breaking-off twigs and flying with them in their bills as they build a nest. Ravens pair for life so perhaps this rite of spring is long-established between them.
Raven are huge birds, strong fliers who spend much time preening. Feather-care is essential to flight and they tend the barbs and barbules of each feather and slick it into place. In courtship display preening is about showing-off, impressing a potential mate to convince her he’s the one. For humankind, preening is presentation and self-regard rather than high functionality.
\If we could see clearly into the dark crown of the pine we might see bill-caressing that’s part of their courtship display. They're breaking-off twigs and flying with them in their bills as they build a nest. Ravens pair for life so perhaps this rite of spring is long-established between them.
Raven are huge birds, strong fliers who spend much time preening. Feather-care is essential to flight and they tend the barbs and barbules of each feather and slick it into place. In courtship display preening is about showing-off, impressing a potential mate to convince her he’s the one. For humankind, preening is presentation and self-regard rather than high functionality.
Tall trees cling to the edge of low sea-cliff, defying gravity with roots exposed. Across the Kent estuary is Meathop Moss and Foulshaw. White Scar, the limestone cliff of Whitbarrow, rises sunlit beyond. At the foot of White Scar is Raven’s Lodge, the bird seems to have history here. Tall trees, sea-cliffs and quarries are perfect for nesting raven who have a wide-ranging territory.
Our interlude with raven marks the coming of spring, the bird breeds early. That liquid call from the dark crown of the Scot’s pine is curious and arresting, stopping walkers in their tracks. ‘They’re very intelligent‘ says a woman with a dog. We share what we observe and later that day I read-up on raven once again, natural history and myth.
Raven, the carrion bird, is a companion of Odin the Norse god of war and death. The bird is an emblem of the battlefield, come for the feast. Odin, the raven god, is pictured with ravens on his shoulders- Hugin and Munin who fly out each dawn to scour the world and bring back news to Odin the All Father who gave an eye that he might have wisdom and see into all things. Hugin and Munin, ravens of thought and memory. It’s a profound and ancient bond.
We underestimate all that earlier peoples knew about wildlife that was close about everyone in their daily life, an intimacy and an abundance now lost to us. With new advanced technology we discover much, or perhaps we rediscover what our ancestors knew long ago.
Our interlude with raven marks the coming of spring, the bird breeds early. That liquid call from the dark crown of the Scot’s pine is curious and arresting, stopping walkers in their tracks. ‘They’re very intelligent‘ says a woman with a dog. We share what we observe and later that day I read-up on raven once again, natural history and myth.
Raven, the carrion bird, is a companion of Odin the Norse god of war and death. The bird is an emblem of the battlefield, come for the feast. Odin, the raven god, is pictured with ravens on his shoulders- Hugin and Munin who fly out each dawn to scour the world and bring back news to Odin the All Father who gave an eye that he might have wisdom and see into all things. Hugin and Munin, ravens of thought and memory. It’s a profound and ancient bond.
We underestimate all that earlier peoples knew about wildlife that was close about everyone in their daily life, an intimacy and an abundance now lost to us. With new advanced technology we discover much, or perhaps we rediscover what our ancestors knew long ago.
From trees above the low cliff comes the call of woodland birds. I like this aural transition, poised between land and sea. The sun highlights snow on the distant fells. The tide is out when we arrive and the liquid note of curlew carries over the water in the stillness of the morning. There is the plaintive call of redshank but it’s the contrasting calls of the raven pair and their preparing to nest which is our focus. A huge black raven flies into the darkness of the Scot's pine and is hidden.
Redshank and curlew stir with their feet and probe the silts with long bills for crustaceans. The sun brings out colour on those elegant red- shanks and toes.
Redshank and curlew stir with their feet and probe the silts with long bills for crustaceans. The sun brings out colour on those elegant red- shanks and toes.
The sun highlights snow on the distant fells. The tide is out when we arrive mid-morning, with rippling pattern across sand banks and ribbons of water gleaming, reflections of dark trees on the western shore. As we return the tide is coming in and the cloudscape is mirrored in the waters of the estuary.
'What's your favourite poem?' my god-daughter asked. Hard to choose but one I love and often return to is a ballad, often a song.
The Three Ravens, sung by Andreas Scholl
It's a lonely scene of a newly slain knight and three ravens sitting in a tree awaiting their opportunity. There are different versions of the ballad, elegiac and downright murderous. There's shape-shifting in Andreas Scholl's version. It is deceptively simple, and elusive. Who is telling this story, who killed the knight and why? The ground keeps slipping and sliding under your feet. The ballad's themes are fidelity, treachery and betrayal. All we know for sure is what we see- the body of a knight and three ravens ominously watching. The only voices are the ravens planning their feast.
The Three Ravens, sung by Andreas Scholl
It's a lonely scene of a newly slain knight and three ravens sitting in a tree awaiting their opportunity. There are different versions of the ballad, elegiac and downright murderous. There's shape-shifting in Andreas Scholl's version. It is deceptively simple, and elusive. Who is telling this story, who killed the knight and why? The ground keeps slipping and sliding under your feet. The ballad's themes are fidelity, treachery and betrayal. All we know for sure is what we see- the body of a knight and three ravens ominously watching. The only voices are the ravens planning their feast.
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