Tawny Pipit

Jimmy Bancroft, a fighter pilot just released from hospital, and his nurse Hazel Broome stroll through the countryside and stumble upon a rare nesting pair of tawny pipits near Lipsbury Lea. They are keen birdwatchers and recognize the significance of the find. This discovery marks the beginning of the community's involvement to protect the site.

News of the discovery spreads and groups of twitchers travel from cities to try to see the rare birds. The influx heightens the tension around the nesting site and motivates protective efforts.

Led by the fiery Colonel Barton-Barrington and the Reverend Kingsley, the villagers enlist several locals to guard the pinfold field where the nest lies. They marshal a communal effort to shield the birds from disturbance.

The pinfold field housing the nest is ordered to be ploughed by the War Agricultural Executive Committee. The threat looms as the birds' habitat could be destroyed to support the war effort.

A delegation attempts to have the ploughing order rescinded by the Ministry of Agriculture in London, but their efforts fail to secure an immediate reversal.

The minister, who had been Barton-Barrington's fag at Marlborough, personally intervenes to save the pinfold field from being ploughed. His action halts the immediate threat to the eggs and ensures protection for the nest.

A female Russian soldier visits the village campaigning for public support during the German occupation of Russia, praising the countryside and farming. The Colonel responds by presenting her with a sniper rifle, signaling allied solidarity.

The Tawny Pipit eggs hatch, confirming the birds’ persistence despite wartime disruption. The community's vigilance maintains the nest's safety during this fragile period.

An unscrupulous dealer schemes to steal the eggs, but an alert army corporal who is also a professional ornithologist serving nearby foils the plan. His timely intervention protects the nest and its precious offspring.

The village comes together in the local church to give thanks for the birds and the protection they received. The moment underscores wartime unity and communal resolve.

A Spitfire piloted by Jimmy Bancroft flies over the village in a low-level pass, tipping its wing in salute. The aircraft is renamed anthus campestris (Tawny Pipit) to honor the birds and the villagers' efforts.