It was still nice and sunny this morning, but not as warm as on previous days. I decided to take a walk down to a local dam. I haven't been since last year, as there had been an outbreak of bird flu and several birds had died. I didn’t want to pass anything on to the wild birds in my village, so I deliberately kept away.
Anyway, it’s all clear now, so I wanted to see if the wild garlic had come out. The first thing I spotted though, was the ducklings. There were four in total. They were a decent size as well. A lot die within the first few days, victims of predators. The Canada geese nearby didn’t attack them, either. If the swans had been there, they definitely would have tried to kill them.
Nature is very cruel, but I believe one or two swans were sadly victims of bird flu, so there are no swans on the dam at the moment.
There is a rhododendron bush growing next to the water. A bee photobombed my photo.
Next came the lovely wild garlic, although not very pungent. The delicate white flowers always look good next to the vibrant green leaves.
After seeing the garlic, I walked down the side of the local park.
I then entered a small wooded area full of bluebells. The air was filled with their scent.
Among the bluebells were wood anemones, stitchwort and white bluebells.
At the end of the park, I crossed over the road, where I spotted a pheasant. I couldn’t get close, as it was in someone’s garden, but you can just make it out.
While I was there, I popped into the nearby field with the yellow rapeseed. I then crossed back over the road to return to my car.