During the few months that I have been visiting the orchard, it has cycled from winter to spring, and now summer is with us. Each season has its own set of distinguishing features and an atmosphere all its own. Recently, my visits had been a little erratic for various reasons, but when I returned, the changes were dramatic. Not only had the grass grown tall and wildflowers bloomed, but the whole area was awash with a sea of butterflies and insects. There were large numbers of Marbled whites along with Meadow browns, Black-veined Whites and Weaver's or Violet Fritillaries. I have not always known these names, but now I take the time to look them up.
It has been interesting to sit quietly and watch the butterflies and see their reaction when they get too close to each other. I had not realised how anti-social they could be, watching them chase each other away is like witnessing little dramas unfold in someone else's life. I suppose it is no different to how we can sometimes behave when we don’t want someone near us.
The birds still come, all the usual suspects have been seen but there has been no sign of any juvenile Great-spotted Woodpeckers as of yet. However, the adults are regular visitors and the evidence suggests that they are still feeding young. It is possibly just a matter of time now. To my delight though, I now have a pair of Red-backed shrike who appear to have set up home nearby. When I photographed him a couple of days ago, the male seemed to be making some nest repairs. He quite clearly has a favourite perch in one of the apple trees and his plumage really glows in the early morning sunlight. His perch is a good vantage point that enables a view of everything going on around him, including potential threats from predators. Seeing the bigger picture can sometimes help us make the right decisions and assist us in understanding why we might be in a particular situation.
The orchard offers much and it is noticeable how my mood lifts after a visit. I feel so lucky to be able to have it to myself most of the time. It feels as if I have barely begun to touch the surface of learning what creatures share it with me. Little by little it is revealing its secrets. Every day I see something that I have not seen before and I realise that this untouched plot of land is thriving with wildlife. Without anthropogenic disturbance, the field with its abandoned orchard is allowing nature to take its course, providing a rare and precious oasis of natural beauty. As we move deeper into the summer, more butterflies will arrive. There is a high probability of Swallowtails and I look forward to reporting any sightings to you in future blogs.
Being out by ourselves in the countryside allows us to put our own lives into perspective as we become immersed in a broader wealth of life that is other than our own. We humans can sometimes forget that a much bigger picture can be found in a small piece of land, if we practice curiosity and allow ourselves to be interested. Nature has the ability to mirror our own struggles and provide us with the wisdom to realise that we are part of a larger story of life that also has its challenges. We really are in it together.
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