Friday 05 February
I’m starting today’s post from the evening. Yes, it was a good day, much achieved and a really good buzz, but the end of the day came with a desire to leave while it was still light.
It has been mild today, dry and bright. The birds have been out in force, a steady stream of them chirping and clicking on the feeders outside my window. So, with a sense of spring in the air I set off home to take in a stolen walk with the family
I managed to get back to my empty house in time to quickly change and head across the orchard to meet up with the others. They were half way round and asked me to bring high visibility vests as the sun had set and dusk was fading into night.
And it was noticeable that the wood of the apple trees were changing colour. They do that as spring rises. Their dormant black bark hardens off in the autumn as the lengthening of the nights accompanies the winter.
But, as the daylight increases, both in duration and intensity, so phytochrome induces chemical and biological changes to the wood flesh. It’s actually brought on by a reduction in darkness, rather than an increase in light. And so, the wood softens and the bark too and the trees turn a blue-grey colour. A really pleasing sight as I look along the rows and head off to meet my family for some late Friday fresh air.
The Bald Birder 