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| Drake Teal looking fine at the Dams |
Almost mid-March, and almost there.... and always an odd time of year; on the one hand, full of expectation and (over)excitement at the prospects of the coming season, and on the other, aware that the shadow of the late winter/early spring lasts much longer than one would hope, and it's by no means a constantly skybound trajectory. So, up here in the north especially, it's a question of self-regulating the anticipation and enjoying each subtle change as it happens.
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| Wren on the rocks in the bay |
As usual I've been dividing my time between the wetlands of the Dams and East Lea and the saltier air of the Brigg and the bay, and with the very welcome benefit of earlier sunrises, it's been a pleasure getting slowly back into the habit of sneaking out before much of the world has woken up and making the most of the relative peace and solitude.
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| Nothing says early spring like northbound Pink-feet... |
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| The first Stonechat of the year on the clifftop yesterday |
With possibilities over the coming weeks broadening incrementally, so will my local horizons, with farmland, woodland and clifftop habitats all increasingly worthy of attention; before long, once again I'll be spoilt for choice, no doubt confusing the hell out of me as I leave the house and weigh up the possibilities. Still, better spoilt than deprived.
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| The Barn Owls are back in business at the Dams... |
Of the year list? Well, accentuating the positive, at least I'm into three figures. More on that (melo)drama to follow soon.
