Down the lane this morning to watch the urgent rush of the river, was delighted to see the flash of a kingfisher as he made his way up stream.
By the bridge on a newly sprouted stinging nettle we saw an early seven spot ladybird, enjoying the morning sunshine.
A few steps further on we saw a group of golden Lesser Celandines ( Ranunculus Ficaria ), with surprisingly large heads, their pretty faces upturned toward the sun.
These plants are a real herald of spring and their golden brightness is very uplifting after the cold dreariness of a long winter. They are to be found along lanes and on river banks, peeping out from hedges and growing alongside field edges.
In my garden they are plentiful, although not the joy to me that they are when seen anywhere else.
I have gently dug them out for more than a quarter of a century, taking care to try and remove each tiny corm from their root system. It is a thankless task as each spring new plants push their way through the soil asserting their independence and right to be there!
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