It’s BioBlitz,
The greatest hits,
Of nature amidst London’s bricks,
That’s BioBlitz…..
Yesterday and today, scientists and visitors are working together in the Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Garden to record as many different plants, animals and fungi as possible. If you’re visiting today, come and join us outside (near the Orange Zone) and get involved in guided walks and surveys, or grab a plastic pot and and identification guide and go bug hunting!
These wildlife recording challenges are called BioBlitzes and we’ve run lots of them all over the UK over the past few years. A couple of years ago, when I was working with my friend Maria from Greenspace Information for Greater London to run the Brompton Cemetery BioBlitz, she happened upon the Poetry Takeaway at the Roundhouse in Camden and had an amazing poet, Laurie Eaves, write a poem for her completely off the cuff, about BioBlitz. It’s an awesome poem so I thought I’d share it here…enjoy!
BioBlitz
It’s BioBlitz,
The greatest hits,
Of nature amidst London’s bricks,
That’s BioBlitz.
It’s botanists,
And naturalists,
Who capture ants and plants on lists,
With tired wrists.
As night time slips,
To morning’s kiss,
Peregrines spread their wings and lift,
Their bodies to the city’s tip.
The parakeets,
Awake from sleep,
Take screeching to the city streets,
Now native beasts,
Like beetles, geese,
Geranium leaf.
The plants in parks where tourists’ feet,
Make busy beats.
These botanists,
And naturalists,
Think every passing glimpse a gift,
Record each one, with smile on lips,
For BioBlitz.
By Laurie Eaves
@PoetryTakeaway