BBC Wildlife - UK (2020-05)

48 BBC Wildlife May 2020

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Thereisan

idealistic

optimism

dgetinginthis

tinycornerof

the world

Steve Hedges/Alamy

I ringhimandwehavea grumpy

call– he’sfedupwithself-isolation,so

hedoesn’twanttoberemindedtostay

indoors.Mypartingshotis tosuggesthe

readsa bookI’dboughthim.I can’thear

whathemuttersashe hangs up.

Springdawns

Thefullmoonhasset,theskyis clear,

there’sdewonthegrassandthemorning

smellsfaintlyofmetal,liketheraw

freshnessthatpingsoffa steelbowl

rununderthecoldtap.Thefirstbreath

I takeasI walkintothegardenelicits

a tinygasp,asit linesmymouthwith

a newnessthatspringdawnscreateas

sensorytreasuresonlyforearlyrisers.

There’sa brilliantstripeoflemon-

colouredlightgildingtheapexoftheroof,

focusinga claritytothemoment.Spring

is notsoftorlazylikesummer,it stabs

outa sharpurgencyatsunrise– notwith

a whisper,witha screech,likethescream

ofa vampiretoolatetoitsgrave.

Thedayis asyetunblemished– there

is anidealisticoptimismfidgetingin

thistinycorneroftheworld,lurkingina

mauveshade,waitingforthecurtainto

open.Butthebandarealreadyonstage,

halfwaythroughtheirgreatesthitsshow,

beltingouttheirclassicswiththevolume

onmax:robin,rightatthefrontofthe

stage,hoggingthemic,rippingthrough

a cascadeofwonderfullyfamiliarnotes.

Songthrush,backforanencore– trilling,

whooping,warbling.Woodpigeons,the

backingsingers,murmuringinharmony,

andthen,outofnowhere,thegarden

rockstarpopsupandstealstheshow.

Thelittlebirdwiththebiggestvoice.It’s

nottheFreddieMercuryorAxlRose– the

wrenis theMeatLoafofthehedgerow.

It maybeofoppositestature,butclearly

it’d do anything for love, and cranking up

theconcerttothistypeofcrescendowill

probablydothetrick.

Constellatingthegroundaroundthe

patharea universeoftwinklingwood

anemones– closed,stillsleeping,an

embarrassmenttothebrashprimroses

clusteredandgossipingaboutyesterday’s

beeflyvisits.Behindthem,beneaththe

chestnutanditsstickybuds,a thousand

stars– theglisteningraysofcelandines

glowing– alreadyradiantandenergised.

Withina minute,within15,maybe 20

steps,allthisenergy– thesightofsimple

wildflowers,thesongsoffamiliarbirds,

thesmelloffreshairrushesintomewith

suchforcethatI canalmostfeelmybody

surge.Allthosetroubledendorphins

thatwerelostinthebackalleysofmy

brainstreamtotheirstationsand,rather

thanjustrecovermymood,elicitan

exultation,a feelingofgoodtobealive.

I’membarrassedtohavefaltered.My

perspectiveis regained.Thiswillnotbe

a daysoeasilyforgotten.

Joyis free,cureis cheapand,whilstlife

is notaninexhaustiblewell,thereis an

inexhaustiblewelloflifetodrawupon,

eveninthemostmodestofspaces.Self-

isolationis hardforsomeandcritically

difficultforothersbutwe are all within

reach of some solace.

CHRISPACKHAMisanauthoranda

presenterofBBCTwo’sSpringwatch.

FINDOUTMORE Wildlifeandwellbeing:

discoverwildlife.com/wellbeing