a Spring walk 2

It was a sunny day of many firsts of this year, the first peacocks, the first brimstones, the first stitchworts, the first ramson flower, the first swallow (that we have seen, they have been back for a few days already), and possibly the first fritillary (glimpsed rather than seen). Brimstones are very fidgety and hard to photograph at this time of year but their vivid buttery yellow colour is unmistakeable against the brown colours of early Spring.

a Spring walk 1

The mallard squadron returns. Two drakes and a female showing off their fancy specula (?). the speculum (in birds) is a bright patch of coloured feathers on the upper wing (see link), purple in the drakes and blue in the females.

Up in Greenscombe meadows there is little evidence of any meadow flowers yet, except for a few solitary daffodils that indicate what these meadows were used for many years ago.

camellia time

At long last the camellias are coming out in full. There is a bit of frost damage on some of the more exposed blossoms, and a female house sparrow is enjoying the view.

old grey head

Jackdaws characteristically have an ash grey nape; the nape of this bird is much paler than usual and makes it (him?) look very distinctive. Meanwhile down in the lane the prisoners are planning the great escape.

Spot saw them safely back (without chasing them, I must add, given recent events).

sky church

On foggy nights the lighting on our church casts a strange palimpsest of the steeple in the sky. Royal Navy ships often carry vicars to sea. One of the fonder nicknames given to them is sky pilots. Perhaps this is where they work.

on a happier note

under the magnolia tree, a nest full of plump young blackbirds
And so life goes on.