A stretch of water over submerged land,
Mid’dustries large and towns at hand;
Increasing slowly as years roll by -
Growing important to the naturalist’s eye.
Alone on the islands, to the west I gaze,
Where on pastures the farm cattle graze,
And on marshy meadows and mudflat shores,
Feed the snipe and plover in scores.
I turn around and then look east,
And, as far as the eye can reach,
Are shallow waters and thick dense reed,
Where the mallard and shoveler often feed.
In the tall, thick grass that lies beyond,
Sweet songsters nest in merry throng.
I love to hear them in sunny hours,
When, all around are lovely flowers.
Myriads of birds are everywhere,
Call in an alarm, whene’er I stir,
Redshanks – complaining – rise and speed away,
Then Old Nog upwards makes his steady way.
On placid water before, I see
Several grebe – they do not flee
Like curlews, calling overhead,
But deftly dive to a watery bed.
Sitting by the Flash in an evening cool,
Watching various waders in a nearby pool,
Whistling wings I hear rush by,
I see silhouettes in a fading sky.
Driver T. J. Durkin
Thomas Durkin was a familiar figure round the Flash and friend to those who founded Leigh Ornithological Society (external link). He was employed by Bickershaw Collieries after leaving school and later joined the Forces in 1940. Thomas Durkin was always deeply interested in nature and some of his records were even published. The forces took him overseas to serve in Italy – he wrote letters and poems home and it was clear he sorely missed the English countryside and Pennington Flash.
Tom Durkin sadly lost his life after four years of service on 21 June, 1944. He never got to see his observations and records published but his poetic words will live here for years to come so visitors can experience the beauty of nature through Tom’s eyes.