Empty cat and dunlin

By Dave Goulder 



South Uist – keeping low.


Crawling in the rocket range;


diligent for dunlin,


find and check nests, weigh and tag chicks


that lie motionless


like stones.


It is their defence.



My companion is a professional


and though we note


other birds,


his motto remains:


“The existence of passerines


is not to be admitted.”


He is a specialist;


for. . .