T-wit T-woo or not

"Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime"- Martin Luther

What wonderful words and so true this week as we travel towards Easter. The balmy weather has seen a lot of things spring into life,and I love the pussy willow - a promise to the future. Been walking a lot on Flitwick Moor and twice now we have ventured our just beofre darkness to try and see or at least hear the tawny owls. The first night we did hear one t-wit as we were leaving, but last evening not one owl. But the sounds as dusk falls are full of the last songs of the day- so many robins, wrens and blackbirds, aided by dunnocks and the tone of the chorus not lifted by the pheasants who like me should not be in the choir. But sweetest of all last evening- the songthrush. And hastening out for his nights sorties the most beautiful fox...............the owls may have been silent but it was still worth the wait. And tomorrows another day.

Moths and butterflies

Had the moth trap out a couple of nights now and last nigth just one moth but a nice one - a Hebrew Character - lovely clear markings. I contrast it against the comma butterfly that I saw last week at Paxton Pits and they show that beauty comes in many different forms. ised to like butterflies and be a little wary of moths- just thought of them as things to be avoided in the linen cupboard by the use of the cloe smelling moth balls or worse. But last year having had a moth trap as a birthday present I came to see that they are lovely creatures, some having a lot of colour, no less than the butterfly, and some just this different king of gentle beauty.

And as the year rolls onwards so many of butterflies and so many moths to see and get to know.

What a wonderful world

 Depression is a horrible illness and recovery is a long slow process with its ups and downs along the way. Having had a really happy few days last week the black mist was there when I woke up on Sunday and it really saddened me - but am hanging on in as the overall direction is towards wellness. So yesterday we went for a walk around a new reserve for us and the area around it -- Sandy Smith. It was a joy to see the first bluebells in the woodland, shy quiet flowers but heralds of spring. A little earlier than some years due to the balmy weather

 Getting out has made a big contribution to my recovery and earlier this month we went on a fantastic Field Studies Council weekend at Flatford Mill. Sorting out my photos and they reminded me of the day we spent at RSPB Minsere Reserve - where we saw such a lot of different birds and animals. Amongst the birds was my first view of the shy Bittern- just in front of Bittern Hide!

On the journey there we had stopped at a sandy heathland and we were lucky enought to see a small flock of crossbills, including this one in the pine trees and a slo worm on the ground.

Minsmere was wondeful- not just birds but red deer, fallow deer, common lizard,  muntjac and a nicely rounded water vole. Learned a lot about habitats and birds - highlights included the barn owl in flight at dusk and superb views of marsh harriers.

This last week the good weather and the will to be healed of depression have taken me out a lot and close to home its been good to see so many ladybirds, Brimstone butterflies, hear the tawny owl and see bats in the twilight on Flitwick Moor, red kites, buzzards and everywhere the lovely song of the robin, blackbirds and thrush. What a wonderful creation we have to enjoy. How much it contributes to our wellness.

Harbingers of spring

My first visit to DENR for many months. Its a place I love but I have had to work through depression and somehow I thought that going there would tint the place with the pervasive sadness that I felt and the pain that caused it. So it was wonderful today when the sun shone at lunchtime to feel that at last I could go to this special place. And I was not disappointed and the visit made me feel that these harbingers of spring are signs that the season is indeed turning and sunnier, brighter days are around the corner. And it dawned on me that by this time next month I should be able to gaze at a damselfly or two...............wow!

Spring ....at last

It has been a long dark winter of ill health and unwellness. But spring has arrived and so we gathered our energy and strolled in the sunshine at Regents Park- a time to see the heronry and get close with these fantastic birds. It was strange to hear parakeets calling and see the flashes of green as they flew by. It was a real treat as was the stroll along the canal to Camden Lock and onwards to St Pancras. And toay I found some words that sound just right

I marvel at the way that hope keeps breaking thorugh; It is the Life in me that keeps on reenacting Resurrection. So be it.

Brackets, shields and darters

 Its good to have a little while this evening to look through some of the photos from my more recent ambles. The autumn sun has meant that there is still a lot to see, and DENR is as lovely as ever. Went along to see if the dragonflies were still about on Friday and went to sit at a favourite spot and the log I often perch on had come to life- covered with these beautiful funghi - I think they are bracket funghi but have very limited knowledge about these. But it was to be a good dragon day - two migrant hawkers on the wing over the pond and in between bouts of driving one another off theyspent their time hawking and munching on the wing.

 It was good to see common darters on three different ponds. Its quite fun to watch - the sun comes out and there are flashes of red as the darters appear out of the vegetation and then are everywhere for a few moments, and then the sun goes behinda  cloud and they disappear. It had been a cold night so it was a thrill to see them. It made me a bit sentimental to think that one of them will suddenly be alone, the last of its kind for this season.

And enjoying the sun was this green shield bug - Palomera Prasina, aka the green stink bug for the scent it leaves. These are common and as autumn goes on will darken in colour before hibernating as an adult over the winter. They live on plant sap and have a penchant for hazel. Reading their life story was quite fascinating, egg to adult in 6 weeks and then asleep for a whole winter before starting the circle of life again next year. Looking forward to seeing them then. 

More sun please!

Late summer dragons

 I had a tremendous week away in the sunny IOW and need to sort my photos out a bit more from that sojourn but it was good to spend a fair bit of time walking in the lovely countryside and on the coast. It made me think I would like to live by the sea and we did have a bit of time looking at houses on the internet on our return. That may be a dream and it needs to rest a bit, and I am not entirely sure which coast or where I would chose so dream it probably is! 

But yesterday was a lovely sunny day so I strolled in the local countryside to remind myself why I like around here! Its always easy to think the grass is greener but I think the attraction is a simpler life as well as the sea and country!

But yesterday was thrilling with several common darters and a handful of migrant hawkers. Mostly the migrants were hawking above ponds and snacking as they did so, as if they know the sunshine may soon give way to colder, even frostier days. I did see several dragonflies in the IOW - a southern hawker, migrants, and both common and ruddy darters, and it got me thinking about dragons and salt water- something I need to look up, but I am aware that some can even tolerate their larval stage in salt or brackish water.

And I had the moth trap out and not many moths but this nice barred sallow and an orange underwing were there with even more daddy long legs.

Its a busy time these next few weeks but I am looking forward to sorting my summer photos - the dragons, the flowers, the birds, and moths. They will tell an interesting story. But a little more summer would be nice............