Spring has Sprung! A Guide

The Lockdown is difficult for everyone, our normal way of life has been turned inside out, back to front, or ground to a halt altogether! If you are lucky enough to be enjoying the weather and exploring the village on your 15 minutes permitted exercise here are some tips to get the most out of your walks – Look out for the kingfisher if you take in the Smite – a flash of electric blue like a laser fired down the centre of the river around 40cm (1½ feet) above the surface. Its nesting again in the tangle of tree roots on the far bank as you enter The Millennium Green from the gate after Gibson’s Bridge – you can see a smattering of white poo below the entrance! The first of the wild flowers are appearing. The Millennium Green has Bluebells, Primrose, Stitchwort, Red Campion and Cow Parsley to name but a few. The footpath that runs along the ‘Bean’ field which connects Chapel Street to Gibson’s Bridge has the first of the white Nettle flowers (you can suck the nectar from the flower stems) with a beautiful pairing of purple flowered Bugle.

Listen to the dawn chorus. May 1st is the best time to hear the cacophony of bird song. Get up early – around 5am – grab warm clothes and a flask. Sit in a nice spot, I’m going to the Millennium Green, and listen to the show! Even if you aren’t an early riser the birdsong is amazing this time of year – I counted 25 species of bird (either seen or heard) on my lap around the village last week. I wasn’t even trying that hard! Spot the Skylark! This amazing, Thrush-size bird sings as it ascends into the heavens almost, out of sight. Its song is a long, crazy, high-pitched babble. They love the fields and can be heard, often 3 or 4 at a time, battling it out for the best ‘patch’. I’m going to put up laminated ‘Wild About Orston’ posters on the main routes round the village. These will include a map, photos and links to useful books and websites. Enjoy these challenging times – stay safe and stay at home (but not so much you miss out!)