The Blackbird Diaries

My local Tube station has a book exchange shelf. I think that’s great, as it means I can leave recently-read books there for another commuter to read and maybe even pick up something new, although the latter is less likely as my bookshelves at home are at full capacity as it is! 

Although the presence of a book exchange shelf at East Finchley station is yet further proof that East Finchley is a wonderful place to live in, I should be honest and say that it is not the only Tube station to have one of these. However, earlier this year Transport for London (TfL) banned them from the network due to concerns over books being a potential fire hazard. Strangely, these concerns did not apply to the many free copies of Metro that are given away at every Tube station and are much more likely to be left in carriages than books. Fortunately, common sense prevailed and the ban was lifted, and the East Finchley station bookshelf was reinstated (although the original wooden one did not come back, the new one being metal).

I say this because one of my bird-related books came from that very bookshelf. 

Karen Lloyd is not a writer I had previously been familiar with although she has won awards and has her own page on Wikipedia. The Blackbird Diaries is her second book; published in 2017, it is — as the subtitle states — an account of a year of wildlife observation, be it in her garden (she lives on the outskirts of Kendal), the Lake District and on trips further afield to places like Shropshire and the Isle of Mull. 

Karen Lloyd is an engaging and erudite writer whose passion for wildlife and conservation shines through on the pages of this rather lovely book. I love how she gives just as much importance to what she sees in her garden (and not just the Blackbirds!) as she does to watching for Sea Eagles in the Hebrides and the plight of the Curlew. There’s also a fair bit on the awarding of UNESCO World Heritage Site status to the Lake District (now the only National Park — in England at least — that’s also one of those) and the potential impact that this will have on both conservation efforts and tourism (what with the Lakes already being a popular tourist destination). I finished the book feeling as though I’d learned something new as well as being entertained by a talented writer of whom I would like to read more, should I ever find the time. 

When I’d finished, this book went back to where I’d got it. As I said, no room on my bookshelves, and hopefully another commuter will pick it up and enjoy it as much as I did.