Our swallows are back; I am over-joyed, and irrationally, just a little moist eyed. Their arrival might be the stuff of statistics but for me these little things are the essence of spring - and of life and rebirth and affirmation. Make yourselves at home birds. Nest. I wish you well to live here. My kingdom will protect you.
No photographs of course - my camera's eye would only offer you a black spot against a blue sky - could be crow, rook, raven or blackbird. Instead, how about violets and oxalis - as sweet spring flowers as one can find?
12 comments:
Excellent! Our swallows haven't reached Newcastle yet, but I shall watch out for them - usually you hear them before you see them. Isn't it wonderful the way Spring suddenly arrives in full force, after several false starts!
Not seen them here yet but have lots of huge hungry robins picking worms from my lawn and giving me a great song each day. The Robins here are about 4 times bigger than In England - no surprise there huh
Not seen one down here in the valley yet but of course they wont be here until Fri :-) Almost without fail they have arrived on April 17th down here.....My Dad's birthday....so I'm sure this year will be no different. Have seen 4 house martins so spring is certainly nearly here.
We have swallows swooping through the lanes here now, they arrived a couple of weeks ago. It's a wonderful sight!
So glad your swallows are back. It's such a huge confirmation of the miracle of nature - to think those little things know how to return to your mountain each year.
I think Wipso's swallows are waiting for that veg patch to be finished before they come to inspect it!
No swallows here in this part of South Wales - but curiously more insects this year. The pear blossom is just full of them - bumblebees and hover flies and things that look like wasps but zig-zag back and forther as though caught by the wind. The sky, though is empty. All gone to Trelystan.
Apparently we have one swallow, but I have yet to encounter it. They nest at eye level in one of our barns and I always think the chicks look like rows of little choirboys. I know exactly what you mean about being over-joyed at their return. It feels like such a privilege and also such a relief, knowing the long journey they have made. What fabulous creatures!
Saw some on Sunday - I love swallows - they mean SUMMER!!
Hope to see you Thursday
Oh wonderful! I saw one the other day but haven't yet had the sense that they have truly arrived for the spring. Like you I am quite irrationally moved by them every year.
What a fabulous new header photo too.
Fantastic - the sight of the first swallows wheeling and diving always fills me with sheer excited delight. I swear I saw one on Easter Sunday but FIL says not. Oh. I had rather thought, but no, silly me. FIL is always but always right.
So that's where they have gone :)
Fabulous, aren't they? We had house martens at our old place but it's swallows all the way here (though they don't deign to nest with us)...instead I have a blackbird who's set up shop in the terracotta geranium pot next to the door (so that's it for the geraniums - can;t very well let her have a damp nest, can I?).
You will LOVE Blackden (re comment on mine) - just love it. I'm so envious of you and Elizabeth doing that workshop.
Post a Comment