Sunday 15 April 2018

The Song Of Springtime

And in a tree the Chiffchaff sang....

 "Chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff"


The tiny flowers of the Dog Violet lurking almost invisibly 
in the grass.

 "Chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff"



Trees are budding, a promise of the greenery to come.

Just flown in from North Africa or Spain  and already he's singing
 "Chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff"


Blossoms appearing too.

I'm happy to hear him call from the top of a bush,
a sure sign that Spring is finally on its way
 "Chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff"


The Chiffchaff is a small greenish Warbler that doesn't really warble at all
just
 "Chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff"


The tiniest of cowslips shyly appearing.

Lower down in the bush lurks a female Chiffchaff
listening intently to the tune
 "Chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff"


This is what all the singing and budding and blooming is about of course,
the reproduction of the species.

High in a sycamore tree there's another Chiffchaff singing
 "Chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff"


Little daisies shine up from low down in the meadow grass.

The female cocks her head, listens, compares,
 "Chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff"


Wood Ear, Jelly Ear or Jew's Ear fungus, 
though it should really be Judas's Ear, 
so called because it appears mostly on Elder trees
and Judas is supposed to have hanged himself
on an Elder tree. 
(according to some accounts).

Somewhere she'll find the Chiffchaff with the perfect song,
the perfect
 "Chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff"...


The Seven-Spot Ladybird wakes up from a long sleep.

Until she decides they'll both keep singing
 "Chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff"


Spring bursting out all over.

In a day or two I'll have tired of the repetitive song
though still he'll continue
 "Chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff"
Day after day till spring turns to summer.


One of the last remaining flowers of Lesser Celandine,
for them Spring is almost over.

 "Chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff
 chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chiff"


Take care



19 comments:

  1. Your spring is well advanced but having gone through a fierce ice storm this weekend ours still seems very far away.

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  2. Lovely to see spring bursting forth while we feel autumn trying to crisp up the air.

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  3. Such great photos of some of the things I see, and some I've never seen on my walks. Those fungi are new to me. Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Another wonderful post, John. I enjoy watching all the details.

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  5. Delightful, John. Beautiful photos!

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  6. Mood-lifting post.Thanks, Cousin for sharing your Spring with us. Judy

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  7. Beautiful! Looks like spring is in it's full glory near you! Have a wonderful week.

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  8. Wow, spring is bustin' out all over! Those jelly ears are fascinating, and I love the snails entering in the spirit of spring.

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  9. Lovely to see your spring pop into bloom, John. Nice images.

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  10. Nicely done. You used the chiff-chaff background to describe the coming of spring.

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  11. Without a doubt John, the most beautiful post I have read today.

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  12. It's always wonderful to hear the spring birds.The floppy Wood Ear is certainly an odd-looking fungus, quite a contrast to the perky spring flowers.

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  13. So wonderful to see everything in bloom once again!

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  14. I don't know the Chiffchaff, but I am quite sure I would love him...just as I do this post!

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  15. Some lovely renditions of springtime in this post. Flowers, snails, fungus, birds. I am envious. No sign of spring here, I've been housebound all weekend with a huge storm raging outside. We have experienced, snow, rain, freezing rain, ice pellets, ice, high winds, more ice, more rain. It's a total disaster out on the roads. Hurry up Spring!

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  16. The songs of spring in every way! So very beautiful.

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  17. Spring is truly bursting out where you are, chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff.

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  18. I can really see the beautiful spring in your photos. I cannot wait it arrive also here.

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  19. A delightful post to read and what a great collection of nature in spring images.

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