smiling land

[james armstrong]

this old world has turned again. Yesterday, listening for the nightingale, I saw in a carpet of 
primroses and cowslips the first  wild orchids of the season.(cant identify them yet)   and little white wood anemonies, and more common, yellow celandine.  an orange tip butterfly fluttered by,and  an ambitious blackbird persistently 'chucking'  in alarm but no nightingales.  The b b fooled me for   a whole  minute - could be that it remembers the call`of last years nightingale and tries to imitate. - the n's  come to the same coppice and even the same tree each year - so W H Hudson says.
He timed the n g's  to arrive on April 18th - give or take a day or two and a strong soth east breeze..
there are two sites near here we can expect to hear them (they are more difficult to see).
If anyone wants to experience this unforgettable songster you are welcome to come  to Dorchester- drop a line. Life isnt worth living without hearing this  song. Oh yes and one swallow last week and two to-day . Hope this brightens up you poor townies' day .
james    


      
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