May was another month I got to see lots of new life, whether it be baby Hares (Leverets) and Rabbits (both new babies and the earlier babies, now growing up and beginning to explore), along with baby birds and new shoots and flowers coming through, in both the garden and in the wild. Is becoming my favourite time of year, especially with the warmer days, and longer evenings.
It is also a time of year I look forward to, as listen out for the first Swifts to arrive back (the sound of Summer) and have been lucky to have them over the house on some evenings. I have had a couple of Swift boxes put up, and hope they will get used in good time, as Swifts have declined over the years sadly and we need to help them out.
I also look out for the pair of Swallows which nest at a local church each year, and was a delight to spot them back this month. However, May was a very dry month and therefore the Swallows struggled to collect mud to patch up last year's nest, so one day I took a supply of water and made them a puddle.
I started a new job this month, so I need to make the most at weekends, or during the nice evenings to do photography. Although, making it out for dawn and sunrise is more of a challenge with the sun rising around 5am. Sometimes it is a struggle to get up, but on the few occasions I did make it out early, was worth it as usual. Peace and tranquility, whilst being surround by nature and wildlife. Simply what I love most ...especially, with the sound of Cuckoos joining in with the dawn chorus, and a little lingering mist, creating a few hazy sun rays through the trees.
I have been out photographing wildlife for a fair few years now, but this year was my first year to spot baby Pheasants, and what a delight. One way to describe them is like giant bumble bees on stilts ...where they have big, long legs for such a little creature. And just a matter of days later, I was fortunate enough to see another lot - a proud mum with what must have been 9 or 10 youngsters.
Here is a photo of a Leveret enjoying sitting in the sunshine and munching, on a pile of cut wild grass.
