The ebbing of winter
As lockdown drags on, at least the days lengthen and the sun, rising earlier and setting later, now has the strength to warm as it climbs imperceptibly higher each day. Through a rain-sodden January and a cold and snow-dusted February, I have taken pleasure from watching nature gently start to uncurl in preparation for spring. The chance to be out on foot locally every morning watching, listening and learning about all life on my own doorstep in this metropolitan edge-land by the river, rather than on an overcrowded and infected commuter train has been an unexpected blessing. Most obvious has been the bird life. Every walk by the river brings encounters with the same birds - maybe too easily taken for granted. The swans, beautifully majestic and white with their wings puffed out like spinnakers, sailing on the water. But, on a snowy day, seen close up next to the snow, suddenly they are no longer white at all, but a decidedly creamy off-white. There a...