White Cliffs of Dover

In 1941, Forces sweetheart  Vera Lynn famously predicted there "will be bluebirds over the while cliffs of Dover - just you wait and see".  

Fast forward to 2023, and there is a new refrain - there will be choughs over those famous white cliffs on the Kent coast.

How come?

In partnership with the Kent Wildlife Trust and Paradise Park, Cornwall, an organisation called the Wildwood Trust is determined to re-introduce a species more associated with Cornwall than Kent and not seen in the latter county for some 200 years.

Specifically, it is seeking to  re-establish a 'core population' of 20 to 35 captive-bred birds.

Crucially, funding of £232,000 has been secured from  Natural England's Species Recovery Programme Grant Scheme to set the ball rolling.

It is understood some creche-reared birds have this month already been released in a secret location, but the doors of their aviary remain open should they find life in the wild too much of a challenge 

The ambitious project builds on more than four decades of providing suitable chalk grassland habitat, the loss of which - coupled with persecution - led to the bird's demise.

Yet, the chough has retained a deep cultural link throughout Kent's history - it  can be spotted on pub signs across the county as well as on the coat of arms of the city of Canterbury.

According to legend, choughs gained their red beaks and feet after a crow flew into the cathedral and paddled in the blood of the murdered Archbishop  Thomas Becket as he lay dying.