I was thinking this week how, each year, the excitement associated with certain things is the same as it always was, and I know it always will be. Its how you view things..
It was inland Lapwings displaying over rough fields that sparked the thought, it so good to see them, back, away from the coast and in breeding areas again.
Even though we have had a period of very rough weather recently that had virtually one hundred percent of land covered in snow, it has quickly melted away and springtime that had paused seems to have rushed forward.
A visit to an upland area is always an odd one as you risk stepping back a week or two, back into deep winter, its always a bit colder than the coast, lifeless and quiet.
This weekend though temperatures were approaching mild. Skylarks were in song, Meadow Pipits were moving through, Reed Buntings paired up and waders, Snipe, Lapwing, Oystercatcher and Golden Plover were all seen or heard.
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| track of the day |
Two mobile phone snaps above,
Top, a moorland bridle path, I love tracks like this, snow capped Cheviots in the distance
Bottom, a snow covered fence line. A Stoat in its half ermine winter coat was working an area, really difficult to follow at a distance in this landscape.
So.. a couple of minutes from a good sized local village and main road and you have areas like this to spend time in. Its the quiet isolation you only get in upland areas in early spring that I like but when the bird life is returning and your listening to song and observing display, you know its all starting again, that just makes it so special.
