⭑⭑⭑⭑⭑ Bird Cottage is a beautiful celebration of one woman, Len Howard, and her unwavering devotion and passion for wild birds. Len's life (1894-1973) was an extraordinary one made even more exceptional by giving up her career as a gifted violinist to open her home to wild birds so as to study them. Roosting boxes all over the house, birds (great tits more often than not) flying about and settling on her as she does her daily chores. Not a simple existence as knocks on the door and people popping around would set the birds aflutter in fear. So she posted signs discouraging others from venturing too close to her house and her birds. I loved this so much! What a woman. I am keenly touched by her story, told here so wonderfully. A keen bird lover myself I clearly need to up my game. Not sure I could deal with the chaos in my life but relished reading about her findings and introductions to her dearest ones. I still feel the impact of this novel. I cannot believe I've never heard of Len before! Upon finishing it I went in search of the two out of print books she published and bought them. I want to dwell in her world a bit longer and learn more of my feathered friends.
I felt sick at the end upon reading the acknowledgments. What a disturbing turn of events that Sussex Naturalists' Trust, the charity to whom Len bequeathed her home as a bird sanctuary, sold her house and land to someone who felled all the trees, save one oak. Len would have been destroyed by that and with good reason. No more habitats for her precious birds. She deserved better than that.
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