One of the most exciting developments of recent years has been the ability to track birds with satellite tags – and the technology allows smaller and smaller birds to be tagged all the time.
One of the most exciting current examples is that of cuckoos being tracked by the BTO as they make their way to…? Obviously to Africa, obviously to sub-saharan Africa, but where next?
Because that is the essential joy of nature – it is unbiddable. The technology allows us to observe and to learn in more detail what Clement, Martin, Lyster, Kasper and Chris are up to, where they go and whether they survive, but the interest lies in the fact that we have no control over this. Cuckoos, like people, behave as though they might have free will and we can only peek into their lives, not control them.
It is fascinating – nature is wonderful.
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Nature isn’t entirely unbiddable. For instance, if I put some feeders full of Niger seed out in my garden, I find the goldfinches to be very biddable indeed. What I’m doing may not be natural, but the nature itself is still pretty biddable!
WryNick – welcome! I know your close relative, wryneck. Not entirely unbiddable indeed. But not everyone gets goldfinches like you and I, and I can never be sure how many will be present, so, still deliciously unbiddable.