Oh my goodness it is busy outside. So many birds rushing about. Singing joyfully. Waiting for me to feed the chickens so they can steal their breakfast. Or the birds of prey above. I don't know what they're doing but I know the crows aren't happy to see them. They fly close, attacking them, shouting loudly, defending their territory.
This robin at the top of this post is sitting in one of the sycamore trees. You can see the tree's leaf buds waiting, poised to open. All the trees in the garden are like this. The horse chestnut, the fruit trees, birch, hazel, hawthorn, Scot's Pine, poplars. And the willows. We have a variety of willows in the garden. Cricket bat willow, goat willow, crack willow and the weeping willow are just four. I love the willow at this time of the year. The emerging pussy willow catkins, looking brightly white in the dull weather, like flashes of little rabbit's tails.
It won't be long now.
