Summer is a coming in........

O BLITHE New-comer! I have heard,
I hear thee and rejoice.
O Cuckoo! Shall I call thee Bird,
Or but a wandering Voice?

It has been a very wet week- ironic that we are in drought- and that plus a nasty flu virus has largely kept me indoors. But Monday morning I did go to Paxton Pits in the hope of hearing the nightingale- and was not disappointed, but was actually delighted to hear my first cuckoo of the year. They call just speaks of summer coming and whilst its not nice to think of this bird cuckooing some poor  

warbler and throwing out its young- its just what a cuckoo does, and to think they have just flown so far and are so solitary. And the call echoed round the pit and filled me with joy.

It was good to see the cormornat community of nests and also a heron on the nest. Lots of warblers, wrens, robins and blackbirds and one greenwoodpecker flew across with its slightly ziz zag flight pattern. On the journey it was good too to see a sparrowhawk, buzzard and kestrel.

On Flitton Moor, gold marsh marigolds were luminous, nicely contrasted by the cuckoo flowers.

And damsels- none to be seen- I know they have been seen at a garden pond in Biggleswade but no more than that. But the weather looks better for monday so time permitting who knows? And this weekend we look forward to our silver wedding anniversary open house and our home is full of the gold of daffodils and tulips and the wonderful fragrance of cakes............

Pegsden and Knocking Hoe

 What a great way to spend a birthday- walking with DC on Pegsden Hills and Knocking Hoe NNR. Made us puff at times but the views were stunning and the air clear, and we loved the things we saw along the way. Above us the buzzards sawed - must have seen 4, the kestrel hovered and then dived down for its prey, the skylarks sand and just soared and the songbirds made sweet sounds. A red kite flew over us and at one point chased off a buzzard - helped us see the sizes of both of these fantastic birds

 Wild flowers are coming through - the cow slips were coming into bloom, and we also saw lovely clumps of sweet white violets and the lovely blue violets. The pasque flower evaded us but hey- anothe trip is required. And we saw lots of buzzy bees and so many 7 spot ladybirds. Only two butterflies - a peacock and then on the wooded hillside my first speckled wood of the year. All this followed by a nice tea and a trip on the way home to Duck End- still no damselflies but one day nearer...and tomorrow is another day.

A wildlife safari at Wobrun

 Nice long walk around Woburn Park today- dodged most of the showers but it was amazing to see the hale stones lay so long on the ground which must still be quite cold. But it was a good day for wildlife - the highlight my first two swallows for the year- it knocks me out every time I think that these small guys have just flwon 12000 miles from South Africa and yet were so full of energy and zazz.

Some other nice sightings- two buzzardsm 4 shelducks including the pair in the photo, mandarin ducks, tufted ducks and so much bird song.

This time of year so many birds are in their finest plummage not least these four handsome drakes- all dozing in the spring sunshine. This mute swan was in a fowl (sorry!) mood- chasing geese off the water and away from her and her mate. She was one angry bird today.

There were so many deer in the park including the lovely Pere Davids, but also many of the others, including the little muntjac. Good to see so many close up and to thrill as they bound away. Not quite springboks but not bad! And spring is really here with the primroses, bluebells and so many plants in

evidence. Nice way to spend the day.

Chiff Chaff at last

Struggling to keep my head above the blackness today, so took myself for a walk across Flitwick and Flitton Moors. Could say there was nothing to report except- four new wildflowers for my list this year including this shy speedwell - would have been so easy to have missed this little beauty. A hoverfly- dont ask me which. And lots of song birds. And best of all standing still for a while paid off and I finally saw the chiff chaff as well as hear it. And the robins, wrens, blackbirds, chaffinchs, carrion crows, jackdaws, rook, starlings, sparrows and wrens were in abundance. Just need to get rid of this headache but the walk was good and just looked at the cuckoo web site and Martin the cuckoo has made it to North Africa- hurry up back Martin!

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.