Death & Birds

Death & Birds

Share this post

Death & Birds
Death & Birds
mycelium

mycelium

Birds of prey and infant stars

Chloe Hope's avatar
Chloe Hope
Mar 16, 2025
∙ Paid
420

Share this post

Death & Birds
Death & Birds
mycelium
131
65
Share
Upgrade to paid to play voiceover
A Kestrel, cursing me. Photo by Mark Eggleton.

Hello. This post is about Death & Birds.


I recently sat down at my desk when, not a moment later, I heard a sound which I knew to be a Blackbird in distress. Rushing outdoors, I expected to see some territorial battle playing out between a pair of males, but saw nothing. Then, again, the screech of a distressed Blackbird, the sound quickly leading me to one of the large conifers in the garden. I knelt down to part the branches in the shady skirt of the tree, and met an eye. “A Pigeon?” I thought. But, as my own eyes adjusted to the dark understory, I saw that no, not a Pigeon. A Kestrel. A male Kestrel, stood atop one of our Blackbirds, talons firmly wrapped as the songbird lay open-beaked and gasping.

This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2025 Chloe Hope
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start writingGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture

Share