The Orchard

Yet another frosty morning with, today, the addition of a mist rolling down along the valley from Soar. I am concerned that the frosts have caught the blossom on the plum trees in the orchard. The orchard is loosely named as it can now only boast an old bramley and two rather neglected Dittisham plum trees.The season was poor for plums last year and we were hoping for better this year but the frosts may have put an end to that. The bramley has yet to open fully so maybe OK, the wild cherry in the yard is also only just beginning to blossom.

The orchard borders on one side the churchyard, on another my late mother in laws garden. This has been very much abandoned for the past two years. So the orchard is a haven for wildlife and I spend far longer than necessary, early in the morning seeing to the geese. As I stand quietly, filling their pool life carries on around me as if though I wasn't there. Well almost...there are a pair of robins that I know have a nest in the garden and must have young as they both frequently return with grubs in their beaks.No matter how quietly and still I stand they will flit all around the garden but won't enter the nest until I look away.Unlike the pair of blackbirds who are straight in and out.Today the cock pheasant as ever was waiting for his free meal. I'm sure he is getting bolder by the day.Sparrows were busily collecting goose feathers for their nest and the starlings any odd bit of straw lying around. Far best today however was spotting the bank vole, or was it him who spotted me ! As I stood by the pool I heard a rustling in the hedge, looking up there was a small vole munching on a sycamore leaf staring right back at me!

Typically I didn't have my camera with me, but I shall tomorrow ....just in case.