Monday 28 September
Just when I make the decision to do weekly posts rather than daily, my local patch comes up trumps again.
Before that, I was already persuading myself that I must keep it up. A good friend said at the weekend that the posts had really helped him during the pandemic. A couple of people have been impressed how I have continued it as a daily record for over half a year already.
That’s another big thing, isn’t it? Half a year! That is a big thing. I’m over half way there. Over half way towards another spring.
Then, as I say, the outside world where I live nudge me to continue popping something up each day. The UK alongside a number of other countries’ leaders have pledged to increase the amount of natural spaces. 30% of the UK by 2030. That’s a really positive promise.
Then I go for a walk at dusk with Mabel around the orchards. The polytunnels are open and I confess that I pinch a few raspberries as I walk round. They are beautiful. The rabbits cause a lead-tugging distraction to Mabel and as the sunlight dies away I watch our local Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) for over a minute as he slinks, confidently along the field edge towards me. I smell him first if truth be told. He is heavy and thick-set. Then he slips to his right through the hedgerow. He is so recognisable. This is the path he follows night after night. He has a distinctive dark brown tail and a heavy ruby brown coat. He is OUR fox, and he is magnificent.
The Bald Birder 