It's been rather a lovely weekend. Well, apart from the fog.
I was on the river early yesterday morning and it was flat calm, and mild, with very few people about. There wasn't much bird life either. It was mid tide so there weren't any waders but I did enjoy seeing geese in formation in the skies ahead. That's always very special, I think, and made me consider getting involved in this year's Big Garden Birdwatch, organised by the RSPB.
I never usually know about these things until they've happened and, really, am I likely to sit still for an hour looking at the different birds flitting about in my garden (or not)? If I have time to myself, I tend to be reading...
Though there seems to be an abundance of great books about birds around at the moment.
Two I've recently discovered which are waiting to be read are 'Bird School' by Adam Nicholson, which looks rather beautiful. And Charlie Corbett's book '12 birds to save your life: nature's lessons in happiness'. I'm desperate to dive into that one.
There are also a couple of titles due to be published in the spring that have caught my attention. Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris have worked together again to produce The Book of Birds. If you remember they created the incredible 'Lost Words'. Also published in May is a new book by East Anglian writer Simon Barnes, called 'How to Fly: Taking Wing with Birds, Bats, Insects and Humans.'
Plenty there to inspire, delight and fascinate, but for an hour this weekend perhaps I'll put my book down and look at the birds outside. Will you join me?
Thank you for reading!