martin buzzard

and to prove the point, the common sight of a buzzard hanging around about to be mobbed by the Duchy rook gang, and below a newly arrived martin bombing about. Happy days.

editor's note: on closer inspection, Spot, it is a swallow although the martins are around as well (30/04/08)

campion and martins

campion is beginning to flourish again, turning a darker pink as the sun gets stronger during the year. The little white fur collar in the middle of the flower is characteristic.

And our house martins are back. I share that strange sense of anxiety at this time of the year that they will not return and that will be the beginning of the end (see Simon Barnes in the Times on Saturday) but hooray for optimism and the struggle for life.

books

Spot isn't naturally well informed but he reads a lot, and these are some of the reference books he has to hand in his very untidy study. Please feel free to borrow one.

wild garlic

and a sea of wild garlic, otherwise known as ramsons. Ramsons is derived from a german or swedish word (rams) meaning rank, ie a strong smell, imparted to milk when the plant is eaten by cattle.

bluebells

deep in the woods now one can find a quintessential English scene. The air was heavy with the scent of lime and wild garlic, and the birds were in full voice. Every now and then there was the slap of water as if some large but secret animal was moving stealthily into the water but it was simply the sound of the river folding in on itself.

It is very difficult to capture the blueness of the bluebells, especially close up. This is our native slender bluebell. Be careful in the woods because the plant will die if the leaves are crushed.

if it moves, run for it

large visitor to the pond. Duck on right is saying "if it tries to get into the water run for it."