Ninety years ago, the delight from listeners that responded to the BBC broadcasting cellist Beatrice Harrison playing along with nightingales was dramatic. (Imagine 50,000 letters in 1924 translated in to a 21st century social media reaction!)
But way back then there would have been only joy triggered by the broadcast (with no doubt the odd grumpy insomniac kept awake by the nocturnal chorus). Now the song triggers other emotions – joy still, of course, but concern and anger that the quietening of the night is an avoidable loss driven by damaging their English homes (or nesting haunts if we are in 1920s mode) and forcing them to run the gauntlet that all ‘our’ migrants face in around the Mediterranean.
So the news that the BBC is going to mark the 90th anniversary of that first broadcast is wonderful - a one-off Tweet of the Day on Monday 19th May and a specially recorded programme at 11 pm the same evening, Singing with Nightingales, on BBC Radio 4 are planned - according to this article in the Sunday Telegraph.
Plans for our live-streaming from North Kent on Sunday 18th are going well – we’ll be having a practice session on Thursday evening and I’ll blog from the location. It’s encouraging that there is now real excitement building around this anniversary ... always good to look back but so much more important to look forward too – how can we ensure a ‘Nightingale Night’ next year or in ten year’s time can not only celebrate the bird’s unique place in our culture but also celebrate better news about their future?
This all started with a petition started by Chris Rose. Well done to all 1300+ who have already signed.
You can object to plans to build 5000 houses on the best site for nightingales in England.
You can support our work for migrating birds.
I’m working on some guest blogs too – so watch this space over the next couple of days. Do you have a nightingale story to tell? Let me know and the best ones will get a guest spot!
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