Whistler (Farthing Wood)

Whistler is a fictional character from the animated children's television series The Animals of Farthing Wood based upon the books of the same name by author Colin Dann. In the TV series he was voiced by Ron Moody but in the audio tapes he was voiced by Peter Woodthorpe. His name comes from the whistling sound an old bullet wound on his wing makes when he flies. He is also noted for his inability to land properly, often on top of the smaller animals and frequently on Adder.

Personality

His helpful character is shown even before he joins the group, in the episode "Whistler's Quarry", when he catches fish for the other animals to eat (although Owl and Adder see this as showing off). He then saves Toad's life when he his caught by a carp. When Toad takes pity on the fish and asks Whistler to throw it back, the heron is surprised and this leads to an explanation of the oath. On hearing about White Deer Park, Whistler joins the journey, in the hope of finding a mate.

After joining the animals on the journey, Whistler is a helpful addition to the group. At the road he carried many of the smaller animals, including Toad and Adder to safety, although he was unable to pick up The Hedgehogs. In the thunderstorm, Whistler goes back to point the Rabbits and Weasel in the right direction, although the other birds (Kestrel and Owl) have taken refuge in a church tower. He then fishes the rodents and Adder out of an overflowing drain. When the animals are scattered after the episode "Pandemonium", Whistler is the one who tries flying over the town to find them, while Owl criticises Fox instead. He then suggests the birds go looking for the other animals while the land animals wait where they are.

The other animals have mixed feelings about the noise Whistler makes due to the hole in his wing. Adder and Weasel see it as announcing their approach to humans and other dangers, but the smaller animals, e.g. Mrs. Fieldmouse, find it more reassuring.

White Deer Park

At the Park, Whistler is one of the first animals to find a mate, when he his quickly befriended by the talkative Speedy. She rushes him off to see the pond almost immediately, much to his surprise and the other animals amusement. Speedy then attempts to instruct him on fishing. She is very superior towards Whistler, who she sees as having a disability that will cause him problems when fishing. Whistler soon proves himself more than capable of catching fish without her instruction. He is polite throughout and offers her his first catch. A little while later, she is critical of the Oath and agrees with Adder, who has just eaten an Edible Frog.

Whistler and Speedy are one of the few animals still able to find food as winter continues, at one point offering food to a hungry Badger. Having not forgotten the Oath, Whistler allows Badger to carry as much food as he can to the other meat eaters, something Speedy has trouble understanding. The herons, although distanced from the other animals a lot of the time are also present in welcoming Badger back from the Warden's house. Speedy shows signs of beginning to understand the oath by this point and his keen to look after Kestrel when she is injured by the Warden's cat. However, when poachers kill a deer, she is quick to argue that such an action is not a "Farthing land issue".

Although Whistler is seen as necessary when choosing sentries for the poachers, Owl points out that Speedy must be kept away because she is too loud. Although asked to keep watch, Speedy lives up to Owl's expectations and has to be asked to shut up. Speedy then suggests Whistler and Kestrel do not tell Owl that the emergency raids have been stopped, in response to Owl's "mean and "self-righteous" attitude.

Whistler is one of the first to successfully catch something as winter ends, leading Fox to call a halt to the farm raids.

They have no offspring (although they do discuss the building of a nest) and Speedy appears to depart the Park for a while in series three, returning shortly before the end.