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Gods of the Morning: A Bird's-Eye View of a Changing World
A celebration of birds that reflects a year in the wild, revealing how these amazing creatures embody our changing world, by one of Britain's foremost naturalists.
Gods of the Morning follows the year through the turning of the seasons at Aigas, the Highlands estate John Lister-Kaye has transformed into a world-renowned wildlife center. John's affection, wisdom and lyricism sings off every page, bringing the natural world around him to life: from the rookery filled with twenty-nine nests and distinct bird calls to descriptions of the winter morning light, from the wood mice and the squirrels preparing for winter to tracking a fox's path through the snow. In particular it brings John's lifelong love of birds—his gods of the morning—to the fore.
>In the Highland glens, bird numbers plummet as their food supplies—natural fruits and every kind of creeping, crawling, slithering or flying bug—begin to disappear. Not just the swallows and house martins have vanished from round the houses. Gone are the insect snatching wheatears, whinchats and stonechats from the hills, and redstarts and flycatchers have fled the woods. Pied wagtails no longer flicker across the lawns and sandpipers and grey wagtails have deserted the river banks. Farmland and hedgerow species have vanished in the night: the linnets, yellowhammers, and all the warblers have decamped from the thickets.
By the first frosts the hills will have emptied down to a few hardy stalwarts such as the golden eagles, the raven and the irrepressible hooded crows. Silence settles across the land. The few species that are left frequent a changed world. Soon only the buzzards and wood pigeons will hang on in the woods and the coniferous forests will be host to flocks of chaffinches, tits, siskins, and crossbills passing through.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published March 5, 2015
21 people are currently reading
883 people want to read
About the author
John Lister-Kaye
16 books30 followersSir John Philip Lister Lister-Kaye, 8th Baronet, OBE (b. 1946) is an English naturalist, conservationist, author who is owner and director of the Aigas Field Centre, among other business interests. He is married with four children and has lived in the Highlands of Scotland since 1969.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
December 30, 2018
This was an absolutely magical book.
In this year of following the seasons through Aigas in the Scottish Highlands the author, with breath taking beauty and wry affection describes the inhabitants of the wildlife in glen, garden, moor and mountain. Birds are his main focus - The Gods of the Morning - and I was enthralled by the complicated avian seasonal coming and goings, the author knows them so well that he can with the most deft and delicate literary stroke describe their appearance and more, the small magic of connecting with a creature of another species.
Also, this a most beautifully written and edited book. There is nothing hasty or superficial about the writing, it is rich and gorgeously tactile to read. Each chapter is prefaced with quotes relevant to the coming chapter and I was charmed to find one of my favourite poets, Ted Hughes, appears often.I think John Lister-Kaye's writing is very similar to Hughes, in that both can come right to the essence of a creature and communicate it so effectively as to pull the reader under the spell.
Since I am not that familiar with Scottish or English wildlife, I read with google beside me to bring up images of the birds and beasts, the locations and plants that I was reading about. It was very effective.
As well as beautiful descriptions of the location and the plants. As well as it's native inhabitants, owls and buzzards, chiffinches and pine matins we get glimpses into the life of the author. We meet his dogs and see snippets of his life that revolves around the Highland Field Center at Aigas. According to the book leaf, it is world famous though I had never heard of it. Previously, in fact, Scotland has never been terribly high on my to-do list so I don't know too much about it in general. Now however, I am filled with longing to visit Aigas myself, to walk some of the (smaller) hills I read about and see the environment that has been brought so magically to life for me by this book.
Now, while this is an evocative description of a place that the author knows and loves deeply, it is also a description of how the place is changing. How the erratic seasons, the unpredictable temperatures and rainfall affect the complex ecology that balances on such a thin edge due to the intense cold and the need to use resources to best affect. Humans are changing the world and these changes are to our benefit, rarely to the benefit of the environment or the other species who dwell in it. It is an irony that as civilization gives us more time and money to spend on leisure, we spend more time looking for the magical 'natural' places that we have stamped out in order to build our civilization to what it is. At Aigas it sounds like one can find a place in which some of this magic lives on. I would love to see it, unlikely as that is for now, I might have to just concentrate on getting the other books by this author.
In this year of following the seasons through Aigas in the Scottish Highlands the author, with breath taking beauty and wry affection describes the inhabitants of the wildlife in glen, garden, moor and mountain. Birds are his main focus - The Gods of the Morning - and I was enthralled by the complicated avian seasonal coming and goings, the author knows them so well that he can with the most deft and delicate literary stroke describe their appearance and more, the small magic of connecting with a creature of another species.
Also, this a most beautifully written and edited book. There is nothing hasty or superficial about the writing, it is rich and gorgeously tactile to read. Each chapter is prefaced with quotes relevant to the coming chapter and I was charmed to find one of my favourite poets, Ted Hughes, appears often.I think John Lister-Kaye's writing is very similar to Hughes, in that both can come right to the essence of a creature and communicate it so effectively as to pull the reader under the spell.
Since I am not that familiar with Scottish or English wildlife, I read with google beside me to bring up images of the birds and beasts, the locations and plants that I was reading about. It was very effective.
As well as beautiful descriptions of the location and the plants. As well as it's native inhabitants, owls and buzzards, chiffinches and pine matins we get glimpses into the life of the author. We meet his dogs and see snippets of his life that revolves around the Highland Field Center at Aigas. According to the book leaf, it is world famous though I had never heard of it. Previously, in fact, Scotland has never been terribly high on my to-do list so I don't know too much about it in general. Now however, I am filled with longing to visit Aigas myself, to walk some of the (smaller) hills I read about and see the environment that has been brought so magically to life for me by this book.
Now, while this is an evocative description of a place that the author knows and loves deeply, it is also a description of how the place is changing. How the erratic seasons, the unpredictable temperatures and rainfall affect the complex ecology that balances on such a thin edge due to the intense cold and the need to use resources to best affect. Humans are changing the world and these changes are to our benefit, rarely to the benefit of the environment or the other species who dwell in it. It is an irony that as civilization gives us more time and money to spend on leisure, we spend more time looking for the magical 'natural' places that we have stamped out in order to build our civilization to what it is. At Aigas it sounds like one can find a place in which some of this magic lives on. I would love to see it, unlikely as that is for now, I might have to just concentrate on getting the other books by this author.
August 23, 2017
Even though the Highlands of Scotland feel like our last wilderness, they have still been shaped by man. One man who has been fortunate to experience the wildlife and seasons at their most dramatic is John Lister-Kaye at his home and Highlands field centre, Aigas. He doesn’t really need to go looking for the natural world; it is just there. The long hours that he has spent there have permeated deeply into his soul, he knows the best seasons to see the deer, the place to the spot the pine martens, the fleeting visitors who come for the summers and who have headed south from the Arctic winters. In this book, Lister-Kaye talks us through the events that have taken place over a year, but rather than being written as a diary, it is a series of observations on some of his favourite wildlife and feathered friends, in particular, interwoven with musings over the changing climate where they live.
Like molten gold from a crucible, the first touch of sun spilled from the east
This is the first of Lister-Kaye’s books that I have ever read and I have been meaning to get to it for ages. He writes in a careful and considered way, drawing out the detail of the things he is seeing around him as they happen, and quite often what he writes is just quite beautiful. The field centre that he runs provides him with inspiration and a deep rooting in the natural world and is the font of his knowledge and understanding of what happens as the seasons roll around. He manages not to make it a polemical rant over the state of the climate, but you get a sense of his grave concerns over the future. Will definitely be reading more of his books, as I have just got his newest!
Like molten gold from a crucible, the first touch of sun spilled from the east
This is the first of Lister-Kaye’s books that I have ever read and I have been meaning to get to it for ages. He writes in a careful and considered way, drawing out the detail of the things he is seeing around him as they happen, and quite often what he writes is just quite beautiful. The field centre that he runs provides him with inspiration and a deep rooting in the natural world and is the font of his knowledge and understanding of what happens as the seasons roll around. He manages not to make it a polemical rant over the state of the climate, but you get a sense of his grave concerns over the future. Will definitely be reading more of his books, as I have just got his newest!
November 4, 2016
On a day when the world of politics is dismal and dreary, I opened this book and was transported into a world of abundance and grace bestowed by Lister-Kaye's masterful writing and soulful observing. This book provides a much needed time-out, or really a time-in -- allowing me to step into something restorative and palpably real. A poignant reminder that life is so much more than what's on CNN these days.
March 30, 2015
A Highland year...
In 1976, John Lister-Kaye bought an estate in the northern central Highlands of Scotland, and set up what is now Scotland's premier field study centre, Aigas. Although a wide range of wildlife lives and is studied there, Lister-Kaye's own main fascination is with the many varieties of birds that make their home there – his gods of the morning. In this book, he takes the reader through a year, showing the changes that come with each season, as different birds arrive, nest, breed and leave again. In the introduction, he talks about how he has noticed changes to nesting and breeding patterns over the years. He declares his reluctance to put the blame for these changes wholly at the door of climate change, but points to the growing unpredictability of weather patterns in recent years. His stated intention in this book is not to provide answers but rather, based on his personal observations, to pose some questions of his own.
Lister-Kaye is an established and respected nature writer and on the basis of this book it's easy to see why. His knowledge of the natural world that surrounds him is matched by his passion for it, and his easy style and fine writing allow both to come through clearly to the reader. In truth, there isn't much in here that adds to the debate on climate change and I wondered if perhaps nature writers currently feel they have to be seen to be talking about that, or be accused of burying their heads in the sand. In fact, the book is a fairly simple nature diary in structure, allowing Lister-Kaye to select topics that represent for him the progress of a natural year. For me, the suggestion of the climate change angle was something of a minor annoyance, since I kept waiting for it to be raised and, except for occasional references to changing migratory and breeding patterns, it really isn't much. He makes much of the adverse impact of an early false spring followed by a big freeze in his chosen year, 2012/3, but points out himself that such anomalies have always happened.
However, read purely for its description of the natural world of this fairly rugged part of the British Isles, the book is both informative and hugely enjoyable. The prose often heads towards lyrical without ever getting too overblown and, though he tells us a lot about the 'science' of nature, it's done very lightly in passing, making it easy to absorb. The tone is personal, based on his own observations rather than textbook stuff, and is often interspersed with anecdotes about life in the field study centre or his own childhood. Like most naturalists, he combines a real passion for the creatures he observes with a hard-headed, non-sentimental approach, recognising that nature is indeed 'red in tooth and claw'. But occasionally we see a bit of anger seep through at man's behaviour towards nature, when for instance he describes the on-going poisoning of protected birds of prey, or the battery farming of thousands upon thousands of game birds, destined for slaughter by rich men (I considered saying 'people' but I think I'll stick with 'men' in this case) who prefer to have the game fixed to ensure them a good 'bag'.
Most of the book, though, is filled with delightfully told observations of the minutiae of life around the estate. His year runs from autumn 2012, and really gets underway in the second chapter as he shows the birds and animals preparing for winter – the red squirrels hiding their nuts, the woodmice moving indoors and making nests, the arrival of the geese, moving south from their Arctic summer. (I particularly enjoyed the bit about the geese, since my house happens to be beneath one of their migratory routes and twice a year for one or two days, the sky is dark with them passing and the noise could drown out a passing jumbo jet, except that happily no jumbo jets pass by here – it's always one of the highlights of my own year, when I can be found standing in the garden gazing upwards in fascination at their squadron-like manoeuvres.) Also at this time of year, many birds are migrating away, and Lister-Kaye combines lovely descriptive writing with information on what triggers migrations, how they have been scientifically observed and some of the myths that have surrounded them in the past.
And this pattern of information and description continues as the long, harsh Highland winter rolls in with its short days, and we see the struggle for survival of those birds and animals that stay; then the welcome shortening of the nights bringing in the late spring, and moving on to the long days of summer when, this far north, darkness falls only briefly before the sun rises again.
There's almost nothing I enjoy more than reading or listening to a knowledgeable enthusiast telling of their passion, whatever it might be, and that's what this book is. Whether telling us of the swan that couldn't manage to take-off, or tales of his own beloved pet dogs, or of the nesting rooks he can see through the window while lying in his bath, this is a man talking about the things that bring him joy, and allowing the reader to share that joy with him. He doesn't prettify nature but, even when its at its cruellest, he sees the glory in it. A most enjoyable trip to the Highlands with an expert guide. 4½ stars for me, so rounded up.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Canongate Books.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
In 1976, John Lister-Kaye bought an estate in the northern central Highlands of Scotland, and set up what is now Scotland's premier field study centre, Aigas. Although a wide range of wildlife lives and is studied there, Lister-Kaye's own main fascination is with the many varieties of birds that make their home there – his gods of the morning. In this book, he takes the reader through a year, showing the changes that come with each season, as different birds arrive, nest, breed and leave again. In the introduction, he talks about how he has noticed changes to nesting and breeding patterns over the years. He declares his reluctance to put the blame for these changes wholly at the door of climate change, but points to the growing unpredictability of weather patterns in recent years. His stated intention in this book is not to provide answers but rather, based on his personal observations, to pose some questions of his own.
Lister-Kaye is an established and respected nature writer and on the basis of this book it's easy to see why. His knowledge of the natural world that surrounds him is matched by his passion for it, and his easy style and fine writing allow both to come through clearly to the reader. In truth, there isn't much in here that adds to the debate on climate change and I wondered if perhaps nature writers currently feel they have to be seen to be talking about that, or be accused of burying their heads in the sand. In fact, the book is a fairly simple nature diary in structure, allowing Lister-Kaye to select topics that represent for him the progress of a natural year. For me, the suggestion of the climate change angle was something of a minor annoyance, since I kept waiting for it to be raised and, except for occasional references to changing migratory and breeding patterns, it really isn't much. He makes much of the adverse impact of an early false spring followed by a big freeze in his chosen year, 2012/3, but points out himself that such anomalies have always happened.
...to do justice to nature, the nature of this mystical land of hills and glens, forests, lochs and rushing rivers, and to the confused seasons of what has proved to be a discomfiting and bizarre year, I need to start at a real transition, in late September when fidgets of swallows were gathering on telephone wires like chittering clothes-pegs; when the first tug of departure was fizzing in the blackcaps' tiny brains; before moonlit frosts cantered rust through the bracken; before the chlorophyll finally bled from blushing leaves; even before the last osprey lifted and wheeled into its migration to Senegal or the Zambia. I need to start when the word was fresh on our lips, in the incipient, not-quite-sure-if-it's-happened-yet autumn of 2012.
However, read purely for its description of the natural world of this fairly rugged part of the British Isles, the book is both informative and hugely enjoyable. The prose often heads towards lyrical without ever getting too overblown and, though he tells us a lot about the 'science' of nature, it's done very lightly in passing, making it easy to absorb. The tone is personal, based on his own observations rather than textbook stuff, and is often interspersed with anecdotes about life in the field study centre or his own childhood. Like most naturalists, he combines a real passion for the creatures he observes with a hard-headed, non-sentimental approach, recognising that nature is indeed 'red in tooth and claw'. But occasionally we see a bit of anger seep through at man's behaviour towards nature, when for instance he describes the on-going poisoning of protected birds of prey, or the battery farming of thousands upon thousands of game birds, destined for slaughter by rich men (I considered saying 'people' but I think I'll stick with 'men' in this case) who prefer to have the game fixed to ensure them a good 'bag'.
Most of the book, though, is filled with delightfully told observations of the minutiae of life around the estate. His year runs from autumn 2012, and really gets underway in the second chapter as he shows the birds and animals preparing for winter – the red squirrels hiding their nuts, the woodmice moving indoors and making nests, the arrival of the geese, moving south from their Arctic summer. (I particularly enjoyed the bit about the geese, since my house happens to be beneath one of their migratory routes and twice a year for one or two days, the sky is dark with them passing and the noise could drown out a passing jumbo jet, except that happily no jumbo jets pass by here – it's always one of the highlights of my own year, when I can be found standing in the garden gazing upwards in fascination at their squadron-like manoeuvres.) Also at this time of year, many birds are migrating away, and Lister-Kaye combines lovely descriptive writing with information on what triggers migrations, how they have been scientifically observed and some of the myths that have surrounded them in the past.
No sound in the world, not even the rough old music of the rooks, etches more deeply into my soul than the near-hysterical 'wink-winking' of pink-footed geese all crying together high overhead. It is a sound like none other. Sad, evocative, stirring and, for me, quintessentially wild, it arouses in me a yearning that seems to tug at the leash of our long separation from the natural world.
And this pattern of information and description continues as the long, harsh Highland winter rolls in with its short days, and we see the struggle for survival of those birds and animals that stay; then the welcome shortening of the nights bringing in the late spring, and moving on to the long days of summer when, this far north, darkness falls only briefly before the sun rises again.
There's almost nothing I enjoy more than reading or listening to a knowledgeable enthusiast telling of their passion, whatever it might be, and that's what this book is. Whether telling us of the swan that couldn't manage to take-off, or tales of his own beloved pet dogs, or of the nesting rooks he can see through the window while lying in his bath, this is a man talking about the things that bring him joy, and allowing the reader to share that joy with him. He doesn't prettify nature but, even when its at its cruellest, he sees the glory in it. A most enjoyable trip to the Highlands with an expert guide. 4½ stars for me, so rounded up.
NB This book was provided for review by the publisher, Canongate Books.
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
November 16, 2025
Most recent book club book. There are some fantastic passages that are really touching and show Lister-Kaye's love for the nature around him. Overall though I was a hater. Lots of passages read as though they were written by a 14 year old who had just discovered adjectives and a thesaurus. At times felt purposefully inaccessible and pompous.
Also difficult to match his love for hunting with his posho friends with his love for nature?
Also difficult to match his love for hunting with his posho friends with his love for nature?
October 12, 2017
This is a beautifully written book containing Lister-Kaye's reflections on the birds and other wildlife on his Highland estate at Aigas, near Beauly. The author has spent a lifetime observing wildlife; his commentary on the changing nature of the birds visiting his area is fascinating, as are the reminiscences from his childhood. I learnt a lot about individual species, such as the incredible resilience of the mallard duck, which has led to its impressive breeding success. Like any serious naturalist today, Lister-Kaye's observations have led to grave concerns about the current environmental turmoil and reduction in species and populations we're witnessing.
May 14, 2019
At times, it had a nice poetry to it driven by close observation of small secrets revealed in a fairly ordinary environment. At times, it had the infuriating "this, too, shall pass" view of current planet threatening problems characteristic of a philosophical aging Boomer.
May 14, 2019
3.5 stars. Parts of this were outstanding. The author's descriptions of flora and fauna on the Scottish highlands is excellent. Parts of this were baffling --- I don't have much patience for scientists who demand respect for their position as experts in their own field but refuse to acknowledge the expertise of scientists in other fields.
May 19, 2015
The stars of Gods of the Morning are the host of wild animals whose dramatic lives are played out against a Scottish Highlands backdrop, beautifully described by the author. From a raven in a snowstorm to a lingering whooper swan via cheeky pine martens, a mass dispersal of ballooning spiderlings and the neighborly chattering of rooks, Lister-Kaye’s memories become almost as fresh to the reader as they must have been to him. All in all, Gods of the Morning is a refreshingly old-fashioned book of nature writing. Though he does indulge in the odd childhood reminiscence –in any case, never superfluous to the point he’s making – Lister-Kaye is more concerned with celebrating the natural history of his home at the Aigas field center than he is with experimenting with form or philosophy.
That’s not to say there is nothing original here. There are intriguing musings on the possibilities of animal consciousness, and many observations which will surprise even the most knowledgeable of readers. I was particularly entranced by his description of treecreeper roost-hollows in the bark of a giant redwood. Lister-Kaye is a great naturalist, one whose delight in nature and heartfelt compassion for wildlife have undoubtedly been clear throughout his career. It is lovely to discover (belatedly, after 9 books!) that he is a great writer too, his clear prose the perfect vehicle for sharing the intimate natural secrets of Aigas with those not fortunate enough to be able to visit for themselves.
That’s not to say there is nothing original here. There are intriguing musings on the possibilities of animal consciousness, and many observations which will surprise even the most knowledgeable of readers. I was particularly entranced by his description of treecreeper roost-hollows in the bark of a giant redwood. Lister-Kaye is a great naturalist, one whose delight in nature and heartfelt compassion for wildlife have undoubtedly been clear throughout his career. It is lovely to discover (belatedly, after 9 books!) that he is a great writer too, his clear prose the perfect vehicle for sharing the intimate natural secrets of Aigas with those not fortunate enough to be able to visit for themselves.
February 27, 2024
Subtitled 'A Bird's Eye View of a Highland Year' this natural history memoir from acclaimed conservationist John Lister Kaye follows a year of abnormal weather (September 2012 - September 2013) in the Highlands of Scotland and the effects this had on the wildlife he encountered in his daily life over that time period. The book centres on the Aigas Field Centre, which Lister Kaye established (you can read about his journey in setting up the centre in his book Song of the Rolling Earth, which I reviewed briefly here).
The author treats us to many detailed observations of nature, from the common: "a blackbird was cashing in, flicking rusty leaves as if turning the pages of an ancient tome in a rushed search for wisdom" to the much rarer experience of being able to watch a pine marten at close quarters as it harvests rowan berries from a tree, to a field of sparkling wonder created by uncountable numbers of young spiders.
Many birds died in the cold April of 2013, which followed an unseasonably warm March:"All those lifeforms that had been tricked, lured into exposing themselves far too early, had been ruthlessly obliterated by the subsequent frosts and snows" and the author observes these effects on several species, particularly the rooks that nest in trees around the area.
As well as climate change, the author considers topics from bird migration, to the ethics of the practice of egg collection, once considered a respectable pastime but now a criminal offence.
There are delightful personal stories here too, including the tale of Squawky, a rook which the author had rescued when he was at boarding school and then had to leave with an employee of the school, whose husband made an aviary for the bird - a story with a touching conclusion).
The book closes with a delightful description of Lister Kaye introducing his 5-year-old grandson to the Treecreepers that have excavated roosts for themselves in the soft bark of giant redwood trees in Aigas. A lovely demonstration of how to pass the love of nature onto the next generation and a great way to end this book.
The author treats us to many detailed observations of nature, from the common: "a blackbird was cashing in, flicking rusty leaves as if turning the pages of an ancient tome in a rushed search for wisdom" to the much rarer experience of being able to watch a pine marten at close quarters as it harvests rowan berries from a tree, to a field of sparkling wonder created by uncountable numbers of young spiders.
Many birds died in the cold April of 2013, which followed an unseasonably warm March:"All those lifeforms that had been tricked, lured into exposing themselves far too early, had been ruthlessly obliterated by the subsequent frosts and snows" and the author observes these effects on several species, particularly the rooks that nest in trees around the area.
As well as climate change, the author considers topics from bird migration, to the ethics of the practice of egg collection, once considered a respectable pastime but now a criminal offence.
There are delightful personal stories here too, including the tale of Squawky, a rook which the author had rescued when he was at boarding school and then had to leave with an employee of the school, whose husband made an aviary for the bird - a story with a touching conclusion).
The book closes with a delightful description of Lister Kaye introducing his 5-year-old grandson to the Treecreepers that have excavated roosts for themselves in the soft bark of giant redwood trees in Aigas. A lovely demonstration of how to pass the love of nature onto the next generation and a great way to end this book.
June 17, 2024
A lovely book . . . a nature memoir by a British naturalist who has developed and made his family home at Aigas Field Centre, near Inverness, for the last 40 years. This follows the seasons of the year, talking about the wildlife and plants of the Scottish Highlands but centering on the birds of the place. And what a lot of birds there are -- many that I am completely unfamiliar with. I enjoyed the stories of all the many migrants who come for their summer nesting and the few that come down from the Arctic, seeking a "warmer" climate for the winter.
I enjoyed the stories about the weather although the spring of the year described was upsetting . . . a warm wind from North Africa brought very unseasonable warm temperatures for a several weeks in March and fooled all the birds into early nest building and egg laying but even worse, fooled their food (both the invertebrates and the plants) into coming out way too early, only to be killed by the return of even colder temperatures than normal in April and early May. He makes the point that it is not just the pollinators such as bees who are in danger now but the whole world of tiny invertebrates who feed the birds and other small creatures.
My favorite pages (what tipped the book from a 4 star to a 5 star for me) were about the summer solstice. I live at 32 degrees latitude; Aigas is at 57 degrees. Solstice to me is a lot of hours of sun, maybe the days around solstice are 14-15 hours long but there's plenty of darkness for the night. Not so up in the northern highlands. Only 2 hours of true darkness, he says. Even when the sun sets and before it rises, it is close enough to the horizon for some of its light to spill out so that it is possible to read a newspaper outdoors for much of the night.
Enjoyed the stories of the pine martens and other creatures of the Highlands, too. Hope to find more books by this author.
I enjoyed the stories about the weather although the spring of the year described was upsetting . . . a warm wind from North Africa brought very unseasonable warm temperatures for a several weeks in March and fooled all the birds into early nest building and egg laying but even worse, fooled their food (both the invertebrates and the plants) into coming out way too early, only to be killed by the return of even colder temperatures than normal in April and early May. He makes the point that it is not just the pollinators such as bees who are in danger now but the whole world of tiny invertebrates who feed the birds and other small creatures.
My favorite pages (what tipped the book from a 4 star to a 5 star for me) were about the summer solstice. I live at 32 degrees latitude; Aigas is at 57 degrees. Solstice to me is a lot of hours of sun, maybe the days around solstice are 14-15 hours long but there's plenty of darkness for the night. Not so up in the northern highlands. Only 2 hours of true darkness, he says. Even when the sun sets and before it rises, it is close enough to the horizon for some of its light to spill out so that it is possible to read a newspaper outdoors for much of the night.
Enjoyed the stories of the pine martens and other creatures of the Highlands, too. Hope to find more books by this author.
August 11, 2022
How this book kept me so emotional from beginning to end:
1. The subtle note with how the novel began that described the fate of 'flighters' , to one concerned spoke millions.
2. The segue from matters of extinction, bordering in-between the ambitions of economic institutions was effortlessly portrayed. (I appreciated that the author found it significant to address game-shooting in this book that is otherwise an expedition of merely the beauty of wildlife in the Highlands).
3. The entrée of remarkable species described was each introduced with such care and versed so well, befitting their individual majesty. Rarely do mere descriptions do them justice.
Honestly I've learned so many new names of species and prey birds within this book, and still I need more.
Before I forget, I'll just leave this excerpt from the book here (it really has so much truth in it).
“The memory of the owls beating past the poplar trees – burnished golden wings against lime-green in the evening light – is one of the few visual images of childhood I can recall with absolute clarity . . . Few birds are so dramatically beautiful, or can bring the exquisite delicacy of flight so close to us, or can look at us so penetratingly, eye to eye.” -Richard Mabey, Nature Cure (2005)
Indeed the line is blurry when it comes to us and these equally, if not more, intelligent creatures. Pity we can't be more considerate.
1. The subtle note with how the novel began that described the fate of 'flighters' , to one concerned spoke millions.
2. The segue from matters of extinction, bordering in-between the ambitions of economic institutions was effortlessly portrayed. (I appreciated that the author found it significant to address game-shooting in this book that is otherwise an expedition of merely the beauty of wildlife in the Highlands).
3. The entrée of remarkable species described was each introduced with such care and versed so well, befitting their individual majesty. Rarely do mere descriptions do them justice.
Honestly I've learned so many new names of species and prey birds within this book, and still I need more.
Before I forget, I'll just leave this excerpt from the book here (it really has so much truth in it).
“The memory of the owls beating past the poplar trees – burnished golden wings against lime-green in the evening light – is one of the few visual images of childhood I can recall with absolute clarity . . . Few birds are so dramatically beautiful, or can bring the exquisite delicacy of flight so close to us, or can look at us so penetratingly, eye to eye.” -Richard Mabey, Nature Cure (2005)
Indeed the line is blurry when it comes to us and these equally, if not more, intelligent creatures. Pity we can't be more considerate.
January 12, 2020
A year in the life of a naturalist from northern Scotland was a needed relief from some heavy non-fiction and a delight for a bird lover like me. Lister-Kaye describes the birds, wildlife and landscape of a natural area where he lives near the Beauly River which is where my long-ago relatives lived. He asks questions about nature and the loss of many species and our inability to look at nature except from our own perspective. I really enjoyed his low-key, simple descriptions of what he saw and also his knowledge in describing things such as incubation of eggs.
My friend who gave me the book also gave me a copy of Birds of Britain. This was a good match since in Britain a blackcap is not a chickadee, a sparrowhawk is not a kestrel and the list goes on.
A couple of quotes:
“I draw comfort from the notion that nature reveals its motivations only slowly; mysteries within mysteries, that keep us arrogant, would-be, know-it-alls firmly in our place.”(p. 17)
“We are so often arrogant in our androcentric analysis of the world around us. What we see we think we understand, and we seldom give a thought for what we don’t see. We piece together our glimpses, like a jigsaw cut to fit the image of our own perceptions. “ (p 71)
My friend who gave me the book also gave me a copy of Birds of Britain. This was a good match since in Britain a blackcap is not a chickadee, a sparrowhawk is not a kestrel and the list goes on.
A couple of quotes:
“I draw comfort from the notion that nature reveals its motivations only slowly; mysteries within mysteries, that keep us arrogant, would-be, know-it-alls firmly in our place.”(p. 17)
“We are so often arrogant in our androcentric analysis of the world around us. What we see we think we understand, and we seldom give a thought for what we don’t see. We piece together our glimpses, like a jigsaw cut to fit the image of our own perceptions. “ (p 71)
July 29, 2018
Sir John Lister-Kaye is a consummate conservationist, eloquent voice for living in balance with nature, and dedicated proponent of reclaimation ecology. This beautifully written book takes you to Aigas Field Centre in the Scottish highlands, which is his home/estate, work center, and conservation education center. I recently stayed there -- which was the reason I read the book -- and found myself immersed in the efforts to restore the highly damaged Scottish and English ecosystem, an onging program for captive breeding and restoration of the endangered Scottish wildcat, and the myriad species found at Aigas and the surrounding highland countryside. Especially the birds, whihc are the primary subject of the book. The book is fascinating, engaging, and profoundly motivating to ensure that we work now, hard, to save our natural world before it is too late. Sir John's optimism and call to action are compelling. Moreover, the book is a joy to read as I found myself reveling in the joy of birds in nature, as does Sir John.
July 4, 2022
If, like John Lister-Kaye, you live in close proximity to some fairly wild countryside and make a practice of visiting it at all times of day and year, often in the company of others, observing and reflecting on what you find, then eventually you will be rewarded by some remarkable experiences. And you will still find the regular, expected, ‘everyday’ events to be remarkable.
This thoughtful, charming book shares some of the author’s experiences, both the everyday and the exceptional, loosely based on the turning seasons, but encompassing some changes that have occurred over decades. He writes mainly about birds and mammals, including his dogs, but also about plants, landscape, weather, and climate. Much of it, as one might expect, expresses his own particular point of view, although over the years he has clearly done a great deal of research. Some of his close encounters, with ravens, pine martens, deer and so forth, are truly memorable and skilfully narrated but what he writes about treecreepers and their relationship to Wellingtonia trees is simply astonishing.
He writes clearly, pleasantly and interestingly. He would be, one feels, excellent company either on a walk or by the fireside afterwards. Although, as a writer, he is not really in the topmost flight with the likes of Macfarlane, Cocker, Shephard, Jamie and Baker, this is a very worthwhile read that I will return to.
This thoughtful, charming book shares some of the author’s experiences, both the everyday and the exceptional, loosely based on the turning seasons, but encompassing some changes that have occurred over decades. He writes mainly about birds and mammals, including his dogs, but also about plants, landscape, weather, and climate. Much of it, as one might expect, expresses his own particular point of view, although over the years he has clearly done a great deal of research. Some of his close encounters, with ravens, pine martens, deer and so forth, are truly memorable and skilfully narrated but what he writes about treecreepers and their relationship to Wellingtonia trees is simply astonishing.
He writes clearly, pleasantly and interestingly. He would be, one feels, excellent company either on a walk or by the fireside afterwards. Although, as a writer, he is not really in the topmost flight with the likes of Macfarlane, Cocker, Shephard, Jamie and Baker, this is a very worthwhile read that I will return to.
January 14, 2021
Set in the Central Scottish Highlands, this book details the observations of a naturalist living there with his family. There is a lot of joyful moments living this close to so much of nature, it's seasons and its birds and animals unique to Britain and, in this tiny part of it where the range of animals and birds are in abundance. The author has a habit of watching nesting birds from his bathroom throughout the seasons he is that obsessed. He has such a big passion for nature and it shows in his appreciation for it. The changes of the wildlife migration and survival are noted sensitively as possibly linked to the industrial revolution and therefore climate change. It was a very absorbing read.
September 29, 2017
I love reading books by naturalists. While I try to get out into the woods as often as I can locally, there is nothing like a nature book that can take you to other countries and share in the author's impressions of the world he or she observes. John Lister-Kaye clearly loves the birds he encounters in his Scottish countryside, from the rooks to the treecreepers. Even his chapter about spiders will leave you awestruck as he describes witnessing the marvel of millions of tiny spiders being dispersed into the world on gossamer threads of web (a process called "ballooning." His easy-to-read writing draws you in and stokes your curiosity toward nature. Highly recommend.
August 5, 2018
A brambling ramble through memory with someone who knows his environment and his birds. The text is organized by the months and so moves through seasonal patterns of investigations into the natural world, its creatures, and Lister-Kaye's own personal history. Not too many revelations here, but a supremely comfortable book with wonderful restoration powers.
Also, I bought this in Ullapool while driving north through the Highlands, and it was comforting to see reflected around me some of the things I was reading about.
Also, I bought this in Ullapool while driving north through the Highlands, and it was comforting to see reflected around me some of the things I was reading about.
April 1, 2018
John Lister-Kaye writes fluid and beautiful prose, and his descriptive powers are quite exceptional. In Gods of the Morning, whether he is observing animal behaviour, describing the landscape in which he lives, or telling a practical tale about estate management, his words just flow off the page to create a mesmerizing picture in my mind. For the first time in years, he made me miss the island of my birth.
August 20, 2018
My new favourite natural history writer (after the lovely Patrick Barkham.)
This is a description of a year at Aigas, the field centre in the Highlands of Scotland, that was founded by John Lister-Kaye, and is now run by his son, Warwick. The book particularly concentrates on the bird life in the glen, and also discusses the effects of climate change on that environment. Beautifully written, and also fascinating.
This is a description of a year at Aigas, the field centre in the Highlands of Scotland, that was founded by John Lister-Kaye, and is now run by his son, Warwick. The book particularly concentrates on the bird life in the glen, and also discusses the effects of climate change on that environment. Beautifully written, and also fascinating.
November 8, 2018
4.5 STARS.
I don't know how I ended up buying this book because I'm not a naturalist by any means and had never heard of the man. Nevertheless, he writes beautifully and I was captivated by his prose. I took off a half-star because sometimes the prose was too purple and long for me, and I thought the book should have at least had a few photos for being a hardcover and what the subject demanded. I will be checking out more books from this writer.
I don't know how I ended up buying this book because I'm not a naturalist by any means and had never heard of the man. Nevertheless, he writes beautifully and I was captivated by his prose. I took off a half-star because sometimes the prose was too purple and long for me, and I thought the book should have at least had a few photos for being a hardcover and what the subject demanded. I will be checking out more books from this writer.
November 26, 2018
What a great introduction to a proper highland year featuring two of my greatest passions - Scotland and birding! I loved the lyrical descriptions of the different birds and it brought a new understanding and awareness to the natural world around me. The only thing is, that at times this book strayed from its original purpose about birds, but it still always encompassed the main theme of nature.
June 2, 2021
Ik do so love Sir John’s books, living in the rugged highlands he describes the comings and goings of wildlife, birds mainly but also other species, that visit the majestic surroundings of his home in Beauly. I met him 3 times while staying at Aigas, he is very humoristic man who has a way with words and draws on his lifelong experiences to describe his encounters and observations in a poetic way.
December 7, 2017
Can I give this book ten stars?
Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant! Did I mention Brilliant? Breathtaking in its prose, I often thought I was reading tone-poems rather than paragraphs. Gods of the Morning should be required reading for writers looking to up their "writing of the natural world" game. I highlighted the heck out of my copy and practice Lister-Kaye's use of metaphor. This book is a must.
Brilliant Brilliant Brilliant! Did I mention Brilliant? Breathtaking in its prose, I often thought I was reading tone-poems rather than paragraphs. Gods of the Morning should be required reading for writers looking to up their "writing of the natural world" game. I highlighted the heck out of my copy and practice Lister-Kaye's use of metaphor. This book is a must.
January 25, 2020
I read this account of a naturalist's year in the Scottish Highlands for my bird club book club. His scope was on climate change and covered more topics than just birds. Our group had a good discussion about his passages on mushrooms, flying spiders, and pine martens. A good read.
October 22, 2022
Magical account of a whole year of birds and wildlife around his Aigas home. Beautifully written, clearly displaying his love of the natural world. I was very moved by his account of Max, his first Labrador. I couldn’t have worded my feelings about my own first Labrador any better.
February 26, 2018
I loved this book. It has everything. An abundance of knowledge, humour and sadness. Few books make me laugh or cry, this one provoked both.
March 2, 2019
Loved this. Nature writing at its finest. The natural world seen through the eyes of an ornithologist/naturalist at his home in the Scottish Highlands. I would like to read more of his work.
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May 13, 2021January 2016, Lisa P, NonFiction
August 5, 2021
Beautiful - transporting you on wings to the Scottish Highlands.
Exquiste writer ....
Exquiste writer ....
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