Tim Corn, a nature warden on little Lifandoy island, is at war. With his girlfriend Jessica he fights to protect rare birds and their precious nest from the ruthless farming of his pesky Uncle Wilfred But Wilfred has a strangely urgent quest of his own In this comic story of nature, island life and conscience, Tim also has to deal with Jessica's scheming young sister Alice and a gallery of colourful island characters. Later he also faces criminal egg-collectors and an invasion of rare bird 'twitchers'. Uncle Wilfred is known throughout the island as a helpful but alarming eccentric. To Tim's irritation, he is also a determined Christian. Tim finds in both his uncle and in Jessica, who is an atheist like Tim himself, depths he did not expect. What deep memory has Jessica buried? And could Uncle Wilfred himself ever change? Can Tim's problems ever be untangled? What violent result might ensue? And where ARE his rare birds, after all?