Although it feels somewhat difficult to believe at the moment, as I peer out through the closed window at the garden currently enjoying the latest downpour, with the wind blowing leaves all about the place, Spring is here. To be astronomically precise it actually began in the northern hemisphere on Sunday March 20th – the vernal equinox. This marks the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator – the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator – moving from south to north. Nonetheless, although there are many clues that you are in Spring, it is sometimes difficult to believe. It is a time of year of immense contrasts and the past few days have exemplified this for me.
In complete contrast to today’s grey skies and downpours yesterday was a period of glorious sunshine and temperatures reached the dizzy heights of the low 20s! My brother Sam and I continued our exploration of the Essex coast and this time we traveled to Alresford Creek near the mouth of the River Stour. It was a beautifully bright sunny day and we saw a great deal of wildlife, from Lapwing and Skylark dipping up, down and around the coastal grasslands and marshes to Canada and Greylag geese, Godwit, Curlew, Black Headed Gull, Redshank and some enormous fish that looked like Carp in one of the ponds created from the old gravel pits we passed on our way down to the river.I will never tire of the diversity of the Essex coast and especially the mix of industrial and ‘natural’ landscapes that have shaped this place over the centuries.
This was also, excitingly the first time I took my new camera out – a Sony DSC-H300. It has many different functions and it’s going to take me a little while to get used to them all but I am pleased with the initial results.
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