Spring Fair

                                                                     Spoonbills
 

Dear Reader,

Although Spoonbills bred in East Anglia during Medieval times, they had not bred in Britain for over 300 years until 2010 when a small colony was discovered on the north Norfolk coast.The new chicks, known as teaspoons because of their tiny beaks are the first in Norfolk since the spoonbill was hunted for its white feathers and meat during the reign of James I.

The roseate spoonbill sleeps standing on one leg, with its head tucked beneath its back and shoulder feathers.They can live up to 15 years in human care and an estimated 10 years in the wild. Spoonbills are monogamous but as far as is known, only for one season at a time.  Most species nest in trees or reed beds, often with ibises or herons.

Blackfaced spoonbills are mainly found in Est Asia, including China, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, as well as some parts of south east Asia.  The typically inhabit coastal areas, estuaries, mudflats and other shallow wetlands where they feed on small fish, crustaceans and other aquatic invertebrates.

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From Dorothy Wordsworth, 1800  August 22nd in Westmorland

'Very cold.  Baking in the morning, gathered pea seeds and took up - lighted a fire upstairs....  Wind very high shaking the corn.'

 

From Gilbert White  1787 August 26th in Hampshire

'Timothy the tortoise, who has spent the last two months amidst the umbrageous forests of the asparagus beds, begins now to be sensible of the chilly autumnal mornings; and therefore suns himself under the laurel hedge, into which he retires at night.  He is become sluggish, and does not seem to take any food.'

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Spring Fair

The young girl
and her mother, holding hands,
hurry down the hill
where the bright lights beckon,
see the big dippers hurtling
painted horse swirling, yellow
swing boats diving, swooping,
smell the grease and diesel
hear the load beat of music,
the children's screams.

Young men of the fair,
long-haired, dark, a little wild,
eye the girls with bright,
knowing looks.
The air is full of restlessness, of quickening,
an urgency to act
before the end of the night,
when the morning light will move them on.

Dusk falls, the young girl drops her mother's hand,
stirred by the primal desire of early spring.
Running silently she disappears into the night, eager
to share what ancient fires of life can bring.

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With best wishes, Patricia