Songs of Field and Garden

Category: Birds

  • The Upside Down Bird

    The Upside Down Bird

    With practiced ease you scamper down,

    along, around or up indeed.

    A blue cloaked acrobat of trees,

    a master of the living bark.

    The Nuthatch is often first noticed because of its unique habit of climbing down the trunk of a tree. They will then notice its beautiful colouring, its blue grey back and its stunning buff coloured chest and belly and the striking black eye stripe.

    Not a particularly melodic singer it announces its presence with a sharp “tee whit” which can carry a long way in the woodland setting.

    Tradition has the bird as industrious, thrifty – using what is there, it is known to store food.

    This photo was taken by Steve Allanson in a forest in Galloway.

    Posted by Steve Allanson 12/04/2026

  • The Orchard Herald

    The Orchard Herald

    When the blossom is misted with spring’s gentle rain,
    He announces his kingdom with lilting refrain
    Tumbling prelude, vibrant finish,
    May we never let his song diminish.

    One of our most familiar and delightful garden birds. Can there be a garden which isn’t visited by these delightful heralds.

    They will commonly sit right at the top of the tallest tree and fill the garden with their ringing song. Of course they are also frequent visitors to the ground beneath our bird tables where they will eat seed and grain, their beaks are clearly adapted for their chosen food.

    In folklore they are considered reliable, friendly and trustworthy, their song is often felt to be an encouragement to “get on” with the day’s work.

    The latin name for the species – Fringilla coelebs – translates as “Batchelor Finch”, probably earned due to their habit of gathering in single sex flocks in winter.

    Published 11th April 2026 by Steve Allanson

  • If Only We Had Listened

    If Only We Had Listened

    A lament on the decline of the Common Starling. The full poem will feature in the forthcoming book Songs of Field and Garden. The image is a detail from the full image by Adele Croxall-Ellis which will appear alongside the poem in the book.

    If Only We Had Listened (First and last verses)

    I heard you in the morning in the roof above my bed,
    I heard you chatter, prattle on—not knowing what was said,
    All day you sing your heart’s desire, your courtship message sent,
    They call you dull, a pest, unloved, but you and I dissent.

    …

    But now we’ve sealed the cracks you used to bring your young to fledge,
    We’ve kept you from our towns at night with spikes on every ledge,
    We’ve cleansed our fields of food you eat, with a poison holocaust,
    If only we had listened as your murmured dance was lost.



    Starling numbers in the UK have declined by 80% in the last 50 years. Murmurations are fewer and smaller than ever.

    Published 10th April 2026 by Steve Allanson

  • The Unseen Caller

    The Unseen Caller

    The opening stanzas from my latest poem destined for the forthcoming book.

    Songs of Field and Garden
    www.songsoffieldandgarden.com

    The Unseen Caller

    Today, just now, I heard your song,
    It’s spring, I hear — it’s been so long.

    I check for coins, and finding none,
    Regretfully my luck has gone.

    The call is heard across the land,
    The time to plant is now at hand.

    I am still looking for a talented artist to illustrate this poem in the book (and share in it’s, hopefully, huge success), could this be you or someone you know. If so drop me a line or comment below.

    This one is all about the sound, as most of us will never actually see a Cuckoo.

    The rhyme structure, the metre and the shortness of the lines is all intended to mirror this wonderful, elusive bird.

    When will we first hear that call this year do you think?

    Once again the photo used to illustrate this post is by:
    theotherkev from pixabay – my thanks to him.

  • A Pre Spring Walk

    A Pre Spring Walk

    Saturday was the first sunny day for many days so it was good to get out for a walk. Almost warm enough in the pre spring sunshine to think about shedding the warm winter coat – but not quite.

    The snowdrops have been out for some time now, the first flowers of the year and the very first of the daffodils showed itself.

    Looking a little forlord after all the recent rain but still the wonderful sun-yellow brings a hint of even warmer and definitely drier days to come.

    I’ve heard plovers on a few occasions now and today I heard the first skylark ascending above a field whilst singing its heart out. I just caught sight of it as it disappeared into the blue sky above.

    I also saw one of these – A Meadow Pipit.

    Meadow Pipit on a post

    Another of our wonderful song birds. This one, along with the Skylark is resident throughout the winter but is less visible in the cold months.