The Idea
The window came from three ideas: Carriers pigeons (let’s imagine this is how our packages are delivered to your doors), our renewed interest in wildlife in this time of lockdown and a celebration of an English Spring.
A messenger pigeon (descended from the wild rock dove which has an innate homing ability) traditionally relayed messages and small parcels. Noah’s dove may have been the first columba called to service but there is a long history of the birds’ messaging assistance: from Genghis Khan in 12th century Asia to the announcement of Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo; from Paul Reuter’s (yep, the Reuters news agency Paul Reuter) pigeon fleet delivering news in the 1860s to aerial reconnaissance in World War I.
With traffic noise much reduced and more time available for observing the natural world, there is a far greater awareness of birdlife in our gardens. Some of us will be spotting and identifying species of birds for the first time. We might also be spotting and identifying bird song for the first time. We’re loving the RSPB’s song clips of common birds
(https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/bird-songs/what-bird-is-that/)