peewit decline

I read somewhere recently that the peewit, or green plover, or lapwing, whatever name you might wish to call this splendid bird, has declined in numbers by about fifty percent since 1970. The article brought to mind a poem I once read about the bird. The poem is by Steve Sankey and it is eerliy prophetic. I do not know Steve and hope he does not mind my use of his wonderful poem. I take no credit for the photograph, I have no idea who took it. Enjoy:

The Teuchit Storms

In March the teuchit storms

rolled doon the Carse.

Birds an’ weather the baith.

Black an’ white

agin black an’ white.

Every year the teuchit storms came:

doonblasts an’ upwellings o’ air

each ane mair furious than the last:

until the teuchit storm was past.

White an’ black

agin white an’ black.

Then,

ae year they were nae mair,

nae teuchits stormin’ doon the glen.

Auld Archie stood wi’ a tear in his e’e,

for he loved the peessie’s piet ways.

For sake o’ the birds he’d aye sheuk up his harra

tae answer the calls roond his heid:

“ye’re safe wi’ auld Archie ye daft sprauchlin’ teuchit,

ye’re safe wi’ auld Archie”, sighed he.

For he lookit aroon and he lookit aboot,

An’ it was plain for auld Archie tae see,

That ae year there wid be nae mair,

Nae teuchits tae storm doon the Carse.

Jist black an’ black 

                                       agin black.                       (steve sankey)

teuchit/peesie=lapwing, baith=both, e’e=eye, piet=pied, aye=always, sheuk=shake, harra=harrow, sprauchlin=clumsy, lookit=looked