Friday, April 18, 2008

Just another day

I woke and through the curtains caught the muffled light. It looked and felt like snow, there was that orangey glow to the sky, but I thinking “its April now” turned over and went back to sleep. Later I drew back the curtains and stared out at the snowy, icy landscape outside. I felt annoyed at this intrusion into spring. Of course I know that it snows, often long after winter has gone, the infamous cricket match in June springs to mind. Illogical to feel so angry, like shouting at the wind to stop, as a winter storm plucks at the roof tiles and taunts me whistling through the gaps in the windows.

Later, after work, I stood by a tree looking up towards Stakeside and watching a female Sparrow hawk hunting smaller birds, darting through the trees, as sleet stung and needled my face. Somewhere near by the reluctant Weasel was lurking, lured away from Tele and hassled into warm clothes to join me, “The Fresh air will do you good”. Earlier we had watched a pair of Buzzards being mobbed by angry Ravens and searched for Dippers along the rocky stream.

As we drove home over the bleak moors near Derbyshire Bridge, I stopped to show her the Grouse butts, and on cue a Grouse stalking the long grasses, I needed binoculars to see it clearly but she had her younger sharper eyes.

Home, as the sleet turned to rain, and into the warm glow of lights and mugs of tea. I talked to Mrs BW about the things we’d seen; the Weasel had TV to watch.

5 comments:

Gadjo Dilo said...

Mmmm sounds good. The Dipper is possibly my favourite bird: it sings all year long, bobs up and down, swims underwater, has great taste in habitat, and best of all it sits on a rock so it's easy to see. Brilliant!

The Birdwatcher said...

Gadjo - and leaves you with little tale tale signs of the rocks that it has been sitting, I did say sitting, on.

Kim Ayres said...

I have one of these little Colins gem guide type things about birds, but can never seem to translate the dots in the sky to the sketches in the book. Round here there are all sorts of birds of prey, but other than the red kite, I've yet to figure out what any of them are

fiwa said...

Just realized I had read this but not commented. I can commiserate about the snow, we were still getting it last weekend.

I just keep trying to get out for a walk anytime there is a tiny bit of sun. Eventually it will get warm, right?

Hope you're doing well.
lovins,
fiwa

The Birdwatcher said...

Kim - I spent two weeks in central wals looking for red kite in my teens with a mate from school. We didn't see any, and now you can se them flying above the M40!

Fiwa - Its getting warmer! The grass is growing, soon the swallows and swifts will be back