One swallow doesn't make a summer

The swallows haven't returned yet. They are late. They usually arrive at the end of April – the 24^th or 25^th – but, so far, only one or two have I seen. Presumably, it is the strong northerly winds that are delaying their arrival but it gives a feeling of unease not to see them swooping in.  It must be the same winds that are keeping the bees from their visits to the flowering currant bushes now in full bloom and usually humming with nectar seekers.  Hopefully, it is only a lull before summer really arrives. The celandine called after the swallow – chelidonia – and the wood anemone, the gift from the wind god Anemos, are carpeting the woodland floors but no swallows yet.

A visit to Martin Mere wetland centre was great for spotting duck, geese and water birds generally. 

http://www.wwt.org.uk/wetland-centres/martin-mere/wildlife/nature-reserve/ 

A survey in 2002 recorded well over 2,000 different species of birds, mammals, insects, fish, amphibians, reptiles and mini-beasts living in and around the mere which gives the site its name. In addition, the site is a haven for many traditional Lancashire plants, such as the endangered whorled caraway, golden dock, tubular water dropwort, early marsh orchids, the large-flowered hemp nettle and purple ramping fumitory.

 Once the largest body of fresh water in England before it was drained, the lake and surrounding marshland was home to a huge number of birds and animals.

Tufted duck

Shelduck

Garganey

Goldeneye

Now, parts have been returned to the original state to provide a reserve for migratory geese, ducks and waders as well as resident species. A well placed system of hides and walkways allows access to the reserve without disturbance.

In addition, there is a captive breeding programme for the most endangered species form all over the world. The nene or Hawaiian goose, the state bird of the islands was almost extinct on its native home – only 30 remained in 1952 - but from Martin Mere alone 200 have been returned to the wild.

The chance to see some raptors such as hen harrier or hobby was eagerly anticipated but it was too late in the day to be successful and breeding had begun so the chances sighting were fewer.

Still a great day out as someone once said!

The Cherry and the Sloe

**
About ane bank, quhair birdis on bewis
 Ten thusand tymis thair notis renewis
Ilke houre into the day: 
The Merle, & Maveis micht be sene,
The Progne, and the Phelomene,*
 Quhilk caussit me to stay:
 I lay and leynit me to ane bus,
To heir the birdis beir,

I saw  my first swallow of 2014 yesterday, skimming over the young barley like a miniature fighter plane.  A marvel of aerodynamics.   Exactly a year since the first sighting of 2013, they have returned.  How do they do it.?
Easter is for some people a time of miracles.  The  immaculate timing of the swallows is my Easter miracle.
The hedgerows are greening up, the gean trees are in blossom, and the spring flowers are blooming. Of course, we are at least two or more weeks behind the south of England where we have just spent a pleasant few days.  There, the bluebells are out in the woods and, at Leeds Castle, among the numbers of water fowl, I noticed the coots and mallards had fledglings.

Leeds Castle

Coots

Here, we are a bit slower in gearing up for summer - only one swallow so far.

The flouris fair wer flurischit,
As nature had them nurischit,
Baith delicate and deir:
And every blome on branche and bewch
So prettily wer spred,

The dean leading to the sea is a dense mass of white blackthorn and yellow whin blossom.  Celandine, named from the Greek for swallow, primrose, dog violet, cowslip, wood anemone and dogs mercury are all out on the braes above the shoreline.

The Dean

The blackthorn blossom undamaged by wind and rain holds out the promise of a good crop later in the year for the sloe gin makers but amount of blossom and subsequent fruiting doesn’t seem to have any rational relationship.  Some years there will be a large number of sloes on one bush and none on another.  One thicket will produce a crop for several seasons then suddenly become barren.  The gean or bird cherry has a fickleness all of its own.  One year the cherries will be as bitter as sloes then the next, tartly sweet.
 At the moment, the froth of blossom is a welcome sight.
The sloe and the gean are as unpredictable as most of life’s occurrences. 
The arrival of the swallows is reassuringly certain.



**  The Cherrie and the Slae  Alexander Montgomerie (circa 1545-1610)
 *  Merle - blackbird    Maveis- thrush
    Progne - swallow     Philomeme - nightingale

There are no nightingales anywhere in Scotland now despite global warming!