Blue haze

It was surprisingly chilly in the woods just after 7am, hovering around 3C. I was carrying out my second breeding bird transect, a little earlier than planned, worried by the speed with which the spring is progressing. Just over a week ago the very first bluebells were just coming into bloom, but today there was a veritable blue haze, building up to the scented sapphire crescendo in another weeks time. I was right to visit as the birds had also changed. As well as all the resident birds, several male blackcaps were singing and a pair of jackdaws were busy carrying sticks into the top of a hollow oak.

Pete was working down in Kent, so I had a quiet day at home pottering in the garden, with a quick visit to the shops to buy ingredients for a birthday barbecue tomorrow. By midday the temperature had rocketed and it felt truly summery in the garden, which brought out a variety of butterflies including our first holly blue and speckled wood. Shame it doesn't look set to last.