The Tunnel of Silence, where is the Sparrowhawk?

I was teaching a lost track drill session while over in Sweden last week. When I became aware of a flock of song birds singing joyously in the tree tops, I suspected they were Crossbills (Loxia curvirostra). As Peter got close to locating one of the lost tracks, the birds suddenly fell silent, so silent it was deafening.

I stepped back and looked up expecting hoping to see a Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) sailing through the air, in hot pursuit. Nothing, I looked around and in the distance I clocked a flash, plugging into the long grass on the far side of the bank.

Photo by Miguel Lasa

As it took off and turned towards our side of the track it was clear for all to see, it was of course a Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). I have never experienced the tunnel of silence with a Kestrel, only ever with a Sparrowhawk.

The silence remained for a long time. And only after the Kestrel moved off from its tree top advantage point, did the songs begin again.

The Treecreeper visited my Sit-spot...

A Sit-spot is a place where you can sit in silence and spend time alone. But are you really alone? This is a place to allow your senses to take in your surroundings. Sitting still and being quiet is very relaxing, but perhaps not the easiest skill for some to master. With children I usually start with a fifteen minute sit-spot and building it up to a maximum of twenty minutes, depending on how much time I have with my group.

With adults I get them to spend up to an hour in a sit-spot. However, for their first time I would normally get them to do a twenty minute sit-spot. I ask them to be aware of how insects behave around them; and how does their presence affect the wildlife around them, are they setting of alarm calls from nearby birds which, in turn, alert other animals.

This is known as a ‘concentric ring.’ The longer you stay in a Sit-spot the more the animals will become aware that you mean them no harm and the more they will visit you, and the more you will become aware of your surroundings and the events that take place within it. By staying still and quiet and by changing how you are feeling you will find that wildlife will no longer recognise you as a typical human. As your energy settles down, animals will begin to come closer to you, thus presenting you with an opportunity for some amazing close encounters with nature.

On one occasion I had a Treecreeper fly straight towards me and land in the tree directly above my head where I was sitting for my sit-spot at Tom Brown’s Tracker School in the States, in all my years of bird watching I have never experienced such an event.

At the same time a Red Squirrel was calmly eating a nut within a few feet of me, and only when I changed my energy, by switching back into my head with excitement as the Treecreeper alighted directly above my head, (the Treecreeper was so close I could feel its tail feathers on my hair) did the squirrel realise I was there and alarmed and moved off slowly so as not to draw attention to its self.

This was a very powerful moment for me as were many of the other activates Tom had us do throughout the course.

Sailing to South Georgia

While serving in the Falklands, I had the opportunity to sail down to South Georgia some one thousand miles from the Antarctic. Ten days sailing (round trip) on the Grey Rover, I spent the majority of my time out on deck bird watching popping inside every so often to drink hot sweet tea and then back out on deck again. Everyone on board thought I was mad.

I saw many wonderful things, like awhole bunch of pilot whales which ran into the bow of the ship, and there were the Tunny fish way off in the distance, a cross between a mackerel and a tuna fish. Plenty of birds were to be seen like, Black-browed and Yellow-nosed Albatross and there was one way of in the distance that reminded me of a B52 bomber namely the Wandering Albatross, what a magnificent bird to behold sailing effortlessly over the waves. One day we had a Wilson's Storm-petrel land on board; it was amazing to be able to hold such a delicate bird in my hands.

We sailed past Bird Island docking later at Grytviken, South Georgia. I went for a walk along the coastline to take a closer look at a glacier when I came across a Weddell Seal just lazing away on the beach; what a moment that was to be so closed to a wild animal. The seal seemed to be just as curious about me as I was about him or her.

The whaling stations on the Island were something else, even though they had been abounded many years previously, there was still an eerie feeling to the place; you could imagine the whales being dragged up the slopes to be prepared for human needs. I also had the privilege of being in the presence of Earnest Shackleton's grave, and strangely enough, buried close by to his grave was an Argentinean Officer.

There was one evening on board ship it started to snow and as I watched it come down I realised that the snow was settling on the sea I had never seen this before, the snow remained for a long time on the surface of the sea. There were of course ice bergs everywhere from small to ones that dwarfed the ship, I even got to see an ice berg flip over 180 degrees.

I had three attempts to get to South Georgia as I was hoping to see the 4.3 million King Penguins that breed there, alas it was not meant to be, but none the less I had a wonderful time and to have the privilege to experience something that very few people on this earth will ever get to see and for that I am very grateful.

All photos by Geoffrey:

Looking out from Shackleton's grave at the Grey Rover and Grytviken in the distance.

The San Bushman and the Dance of the Roller

As I walked with the San Bushman, a Roller flew overhead. He pointed to it, whistled the call of the roller, it seemed to me he was asking it to roll for him.

He then moved his body in a way that, had the roller not been there I would have known for sure that he was mimicing the flight of a Roller. Then, right on cue the Roller rolled straight after him.

It was like they were connected to each other and were enjoying each other’s company through dance. In fact I know this was the case. We are also capable of this connection, it’s just that most of us have switched off to it… with the distraction of our modern lives.