Spring Wake Up Call

Thank you blog readers for remaining faithful. I apologise for deserting my post due to travels north, followed by a brief period of recovery from a health issue. But hey...it's spring in the forest. Things are stirring, and there is much to tell you about. If you are living in the northern hemisphere, then I am sure you are witnessing this miracle for yourself. We have already watched spring flowers bloom and fade: tall wild orchids, anemones , daffodils and more. But there are new ones arriving to take their place: sweet little orchids nestle in the grass, while tall stately asphodels push upwards to the sky. The mimosa has faded, but now the whole countryside is coloured a shocking pink as the Judas trees come into bloom. And just about every deciduous tree is now in delicate leaf.

Hurrah for spring!

For the second year running the toads have failed to return. Where once there was a frenzy of activity during the mating season, we now have one sole male toad lurking at the bottom of our pond, waiting for the party to begin. During the winter B. drained and cleaned the pond , and hopefully it will soon be resplendent with flag irises, and the water lilies will cast their shade over the pond creatures below. I shall be keeping you posted.

But all is not well...

And as I look into the sky there seems to be a dearth of larger birds. Where normally we see ravens, vultures or eagles, the skies seem empty. Perhaps it is my imagination, but I am hypersensitive to signs of climate change and the diminution of our wild species. But as we await the arrival of summer , the first swallows have arrived, and we anxiously listen out for the song of the nightingale and cuckoo's call. But our permanent residents never let us down. The tits, chaffinches, robins and blackbirds are all singing from the tree tops, celebrating spring and the arrival of their fledglings. I shall keep you posted as new birds turn up for the summer. Thanks again for tuning in.