The Accidental

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Sparrow populations, meanwhile, have declined in towns and cities where they used to be common, by 60% since the 70s and Moss said we won’t see one today. Gazing into the reeds now, however, he says: “That looks remarkably like a sparrow. It is a sparrow, how amazing.”

Some smaller nature havens don’t even have names. One particular pond known to wildlife fans on the edge of the Chilterns to the west of London, home to the rare southern damselfly, had been drained when Moss returned to it as his book was going to press. And the rich surrounding vegetation, beloved of butterflies, had been cleared. “That’s the fate of so much of the accidental countryside,” Moss writes.a b Smith, Ali (2005). The Accidental. ISBN 978-0-241-14190-8 . Retrieved 19 April 2008. The Accidental. Strolling around the reservoir at Woodberry wetlands, we pass walkers and runners wearing blissful expressions. “One of the most exciting things the accidental countryside offers,” says Moss, “is making nature available to everyone.” A mother watches the water birds (there are five species of gull) while her toddler plays with stones on the pathway. And a lone walker bids us good morning – something strangers rarely do in London.

a b Caldwel, Gail (22 January 2006). "Perfect stranger". The Boston Globe . Retrieved 30 March 2008. But hiding away becomes less and less easy: her new friends urgently need her help and there’s a mystery that needs solving, all before they reach New York . . . Cities invite biodiversity, says Moss, partly because they provide warmth – the reason he suspects he spotted his first bumblebee of the year here today, rather than near his home in Somerset. “There’s a longer growing season so there’s more natural and semi-natural food, places to nest and food that we provide.”The only problem with the brilliance of Astrid as a fictional creation is that it rather makes you wish that the whole novel was hers. Which is not to say that the other characters are exactly bland, only that they don't radiate the same sense of discovery. a b c "Ali Smith". Contemporary Writers.com. Archived from the original on 16 July 2009 . Retrieved 4 May 2008. While building on “green” land seems sacrilege, he says we have an exaggerated notion of how built up Britain really is. According to the UK National Ecosystem Assessment, 7% of Britain is built on, rising to 10.6% in England alone. In 2012, the BBC reporter Mark Easton analysed this statistic and found that when you take into account urban gardens, parks and other green areas, the proportion of England that is built up drops to 2.3% (and lower nationally). Murray, Noel (21 February 2006). "The Accidental". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008 . Retrieved 19 April 2008. When Patch runs up the gangway of steamship, RMS Glorious, she isn’t planning to hang around. But if she leaves her hiding place the constable might catch her: sitting tight is worth the risk. Too late, she realises the ship is setting sail! Patch has become an accidental stowaway.