Spring

As I step outside the house this morning, a Blackbird is belting out his fluid song, trying to make up for lost time. It’s mild, and although it’s still dark all the birds are singing. I hear a Chaffinch’s tumbling call, and the gentle cooing of Woodpigeons. Making my way to the Fen, I pass the common where the local Barn Owl is hunting. I pause, trying to photograph him from the car, but it’s still too dark. There’s a flash of acid yellow and a stunningly bright male Yellowhammer perches on a post nearby. He greets his duller coloured mate, dropping his wings and flicking his tail, and together they buzz away to the hedgerow.

Finally making it to the Fen, I catch a snippet of birdsong, I turn my head and there it is again, at last the see-sawing call of a Chiffchaff, repeating his name over and over, my first this year.

I can’t see any Barn Owls yet, so concentrate on capturing the ponies grazing with the rising sun behind them. As I move down the path to get into a better position, I spot a Muntjac deer, nervously heading in my direction, he hesitates and bolts back the way he came. I suddenly notice the Barn Owl hunting, but I’m in the wrong position, and once again he escapes my camera.

On the path ahead, the Roe deer buck is grazing, and I steadily stalk closer. He glances up and moves off into the reeds, but I’ve fallen for this trick before and I quietly, slowly walk on. Keeping my eyes fixed on the point where he disappeared I move as close as I dare, and then wait. I spot the slightest movement, and can just see his mate, the doe through the reeds. She sees me, but can’t make out what I am, and now she stalks towards me. Lifting her head to try and catch my scent, but the wind’s in my face, so I know she won’t smell me. Slowly she emerges from the reeds onto the path.

Roe deer, Capreolu capreolus, female

She pauses, elegantly raising one hoof, staring at me. She decides I’m not particularly interesting, and trots off down the path, joining the buck and then moving off into the reeds again. This time I don’t follow, and leave them to it.

I head over to a different part of the Fen, in search of Reed buntings. Birds are singing all around, and I come across this little Wren. It’s good to see this tiny bird has managed to survive the winter, and now he’s singing his heart out in the sun.

Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, perched on bramble, singing, Norfolk, April

There’s a group of ponies grazing, but all amongst them are the Reed buntings. There are good numbers of these cheerful little birds on the Fen and right now they are busy defending territories and trying to attract a mate. One handsome chap poses for me briefly.

Reed bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus, male perched on metal pipe, Norfolk, April

I watch them gathering nesting material, flying to and fro carrying long stems of grass like streamers.

On my way home, I’m driving through a village when a small slim bird flicks towards me and over the car. I don’t get a good look, but the shape is somehow familiar. Was it? Could it be? I swing the car around and retrace my route. There it is, perched on the phone wire, glossy blue back, deep red bib, shining white chest. I slow the car, grinning from ear to ear – the first Swallow! What a relief! The cold harsh winter is finally over, and summer is on it’s way.

*Forgot to mention, the brilliant annual spring plant sale at Redgrave and Lopham Fen is this Sunday, come along and see what wildlife you can spot!*

(Click images to view larger…)

If you like what you see, please consider sharing!

UK & Eire Natural History Bloggers

Subscribe

Sign up to receive blog notifications and exclusive content!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Similar Posts

  • On the Fen

    A beautiful misty Autumnal morning on the fen today. A flock of Canada geese flying around in the mist calling made it feel like Autumn was here, but a lone Chiff Chaff was singing away, reminding me of Summer.     The feeders kept me entertained whilst waiting for my intended subject to appear (which…

  • Magic Macro

    Visited the Fen for the first time for quite a while yesterday, it’s looking incredible lush right now, and full of insect life despite the rain. The first find was this brightly coloured Common Blue Damselfly. There were quite a few of these around, this one is just finishing his aphid meal. Walking around the…

  • Sidetracked

    On my way to the Fen this morning I saw a sight I’ve been waiting to see again for several years. Over my local common, newly restored, a Barn Owl was hunting. The common has been rescued from overgrazing and uncovered from rubbish, the grasses and wild-flowers are beginning to flourish again. The hard work…

  • Merry Christmas!

      Wishing all my subscribers and readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Thank you all for your continued support over the past year, I truly appreciate it. Plenty to look forward to next year – Project Turtle Dove is well under way – despite the awful weather the weeds have started…

  • Galleries Updated

    Festive and New Years greetings to you all! The holiday season has given me some time to update the galleries with some of my favourite images from 2011. Take a look at ‘Feather‘ and ‘Nature Close Up‘ . In 2012 I’ll be working on expanding the ‘Fur’ gallery, and I have plenty of other projects…

  • Bushy Park, London

    A squadron of green arrows cuts through the blue of the sky, noisy screeches rain down from these lime feathered parakeets. It seems so exotic, and we gawp in touristy awe, but there’s a delight in seeing a parrot fly free when previously I’ve only ever seen them caged. No, I’m not on a foreign…

2 Comments

Leave a Reply