on the lane to Latchley

I thought for a moment that this was an osprey returning from the Middle East for the summer. It looked very pale for a buzzard, and unlike most buzzards did not fly off when it realised we were taking a close interest in it. However, on close inspection it lacks the white forehead of the osprey, and it must be a large fluffy, probably young, buzzard warming itself in the early morning sun.

underneath the nuthatch tree

this nuthatch was singing very tunefully today. His upper parts are a blue grey, but his underparts shown here are a fetching orange, and his beak is unmistakeable.

inter stellata space

dog's eye view inside the stellata shrub, contemplating the sky

and the blackthorn bush is on the verge of flowering.

no more hystaria

our wistaria is not out yet, but the magnolia stellata is blooming

more Spring things

everything is coming out at once this year, including the exuberant and fleshy marsh marigold (also called kingcups, or bachelor's buttons) (top) and an almost perfect, if quite early cuckoo (or may) flower.

village celandines

it has been a very sunny day and the celandines were all out on the verge leading into the village. The building on the left is the site of the old village pub (Half Moon cottages now). In the background is the war memorial, the bell tower of the old school, and on the right, in need of a lick of paint, our village social club.

by the gate, Orchard House

In early Spring there are no leaves on the trees and shrubs to obscure the view from the end of our land, so the church is framed by primroses and celandines in the foreground, and a purple splash of aubretia in the mid ground