The hawthorn hedge which borders my front drive is these days a hive of activity and the high pitched sounds coming from it of House Sparrows excitedly going about their mating rituals, welcome though it is, is not the most aesthetically pleasing of spring birdsong. The Dunnocks are there in numbers too and there's plenty of their sometimes charming little song. It's easy to see why the alternative name for Dunnock of Hedge Sparrow became popular. Here both species are occupying similar territories and for all their differences both behave with little attention to basic standards of decency, as my maiden aunts' generation would think.
We love them all, but it has to be admitted we get better spring music up on Blacka. Here's a small and typical sample, also very busy:
Meanwhile near the Wall Caff the feeders are entertained by a more select group, Blackcap, various other warblers and a drumming woodpecker. My friendly Blackbird who has awaited me every morning of recent months is now more familiar than ever, demanding food to fill her beak and carry off into the nearby rhododendron. While my new grandchildren are content with mother's milk her offspring get M&S cheddar from an early age.
It's a fair assumption that anything that comes from the Countryside Alliance will be anti-wildlife and designed to further the interests of wealthy landowners and the shooting fraternity.
The scrapping between Robins continued throughout the winter and, as far as could be seen, went on irrespective of gender. This morning a rather heavy calm prevailed between the two.
The male was later seen feeding the female in a typical courtship ritual.
Meanwhile birds were active elsewhere, warblers ...
When drawing attention to dry weather it's time to check out waterproofs and galoshes. No significant rain for weeks and the additional effect of recent low temperatures makes a difference to anyone's walk. Footpaths are rarely like this in spring.
Suburban streets benefit from a longer period of cherry blossom. On Blacka the paths are easier underfoot. This morning low shrubs and birch scrub are beautifully fringed with frost.
In the woods the crushed leaves and windfall twigs are about the pleasantest surface to walk on you could find anywhere.
And even the muddiest sections are temporarily easy walking.
At no other time of year and no other time of day do we get this spectacle quite as now. We're looking into the light shortly after sunrise with the new leaves illuminated from behind. In many ways this backlit yellow-green sums up the atmosphere of spring especially when there is an accompanying musical effect provided by warblers all around and Blackbirds at intervals below in the lower woodland.
There the tops of Larch have seen the sun before the Pine while snow on the west facing slopes has just caught its first daylight. A bitter wind from the north and earlier snow flurries have encouraged the young deer to seek the best shelter while still benefitting from the warmth of the sun.
