Another beautiful spring day. After a few chores and the departure of the fencer who had popped round to supply a quote, I found myself in the fair village of Winscombe. Somerset is a diverse county, with the northern outlier of former Avon county status. A commuter area but still clinging onto its rural past. A light bite in The Pantry was followed after a chat with a sunworshiping barber, by a stroll along the Strawberry Line walkway.
On the drive to Winscombe we had already spotted a brimstone butterfly on the wing. On early spring get the air temperature to 13 degrees and they will fly. We were there as Julie wanted to take me to a local nature reserve, created for its 3 species of orchid. Not evident in late February of course, but what a wonderful natural oasis, less than 10 miles from Bristol and it's rapidly expanding airport. A lot of birds were in full throat. Skylark and meadow pipit in the long grass. Jackdaw and took nest building. Trees and hedges at near bud burst. This is a magical time as we crawl our way out of the winter grip of darkness. Later I watched a pair of rooks pair bonding at the nest. He, complete with choose twig jumped about, she shimmering her tail in a ritual which has been happening for millennia - the rebirth of life. A magical day in the Somerset countryside.
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