Where are my swifts.
I'm seeing them wherever I go, but the ones that normally play in the sky over my house are simply absent.
I know we've a bit of a crisis looming with swifts, and that plans are afoot to try to resolve it... but where are my swifts.
With upheaval in the workplace, relationship breakdowns around me, global financial meltdowns and political uncertainty, I need the stability and familiarity of swifts scooting over my head and the calm sound of birdsong to keep me sane. It's amazing what you miss when it's no longer there. I haven't got house sparrows.I haven't got starlings. What if I no longer have swifts? At what point should I start to keep a list of the things vanishing from my life?
I shouldn't let it get me down. After all, we have purple herons at Dungeness, blue tits in my nest box, peregrine falcons across Greater London, you can see four peregrine chicks on our London webcam. There's lots to celebrate and I'm hoping I'll soon discover more as people submit entries to the new competition we're launching with London Underground.
Life between the lines is a photo and project competition. If you know of any individual or group doing things for wildlife, like a school creating an edible garden, a community composting scheme or any Londoners creating a mini-woodland, then do urge them to enter. We're also looking for inspiring wildlife photographs. Visit the competition pages to find out more.
We've lots going on in London this summer, from the BBC London Wild Day Out in Alexandra Palace Park, Date with Nature events on Hampsted Heath and in Regent's Park plus our annual Peregrine Watch on the southbank outside the front of the Tate Modern. Last year we had a mini flock of starlings at the Tate. Make sure you join us to find out if they're still there; if not, feel free to join me in a wild tirade about loss.
If you want to go wild on-line, let off steam by signing our Letter to the Future. 200,000 other folks have already signed it.. but this is where people power really has an impact. Add you name to help us make it our biggest petition ever.