Mike's Natural Musings: Sunniest April on Record

Monday, 27 April 2020

Sunniest April on Record

Despite it being another overcast morning, it has, in fact been the sunniest April on record. The land in our area is bone dry and I wait for calls of drought. Amidst the constant news about the coronavirus crisis (and this is understandable) there is no mention whatever of the climate emergency which still goes on. I have a theory that the pandemic, climate emergency and catastrophic depletion of species in the natural world are all part and parcel of the same thing: human arrogance and the fact that our race thinks that it can treat the planet and environment as it pleases. Without globalisation and cheap world travel the virus may not had had worldwide spread at all. During the world lockdown we are seeing drastic reductions in air and water pollution. The air is much cleaner because we now have no aircraft polluting our atmosphere and in Venice fish can once more be seen in the canals as the polluted water clears. Most people, I feel, just want it all to be over so we can can return to normal, but "There can be no return to normal because normal was the problem in the first place!" I truly hope that when this is all over the world will take stock and there will be drastic changes made to the way we live our lives.

On a more positive note In the afternoon I went for my usual walk around the Horsefield. On the bird front I saw all of the usual suspects and noted for the first time that the hedgerow crow is now sitting on eggs. There were large numbers of linnets around and chiffchaff and willow warblers singing. I noticed for the first time a large flock of house sparrows in the bramble hedge and I photographed one male which was carrying food. By the cemetery gate I surprised a fox, but it slunk off before I could photograph it. There were far more butterflies in evidence today including small tortoiseshell, peackock, comma, lots of orange tips and a pristine red admiral - an early migrant, perhaps? I also found a beefly which was good and my first common vetch. It was good to see a kestrel too.
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