Bog Myrtle & Peat

I was sorry to find that an old familiar friend has gone to meet his maker. I’ve been seeing a partially leucistic blackbird every day since October, and his distinctive black and white markings have made him a local celebrity. He had a white bib on his breast, and at first I thought he was a ring ouzel. Closer encounters revealed that he also had white speckling on his wings and chin, and it became clear that he was just a blackbird with a well-defined sense of self.

Partially leucistic blackbirds are reasonably common. I’ve known half a dozen in the last ten years, and I am always slightly amazed by how long the birds manage to live, given that they seem to wave an inviting flag to every predator they come across. I was impressed that this bird survived all winter, but was unsurprised to find his speckled remains last week – the tattered aftermath of a sparrowhawk’s dinner.

On one hand I am inspired by these leucistic birds and their ability to stand out from the crowd – but I am also reminded that sometimes it’s best to keep your head down.