A May Morning

Early morning is a great time to be out and about on the Sudbury riverside. This morning's sharp light was showing off the landscape at its best while a breeze ruffled the river water. Here and there water birds were going about their business. Cheeps from the emergent vegetation gave away a brood of Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) chicks.

In the reeds around Lady's Island, the Reed Buntings' (Emberiza schoeniclus) short scratchy song is now mingling with those of the newly arrived migrant Sedge Warblers (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus). Whilst the male Reed Bunting sings high up in a suitable shrub or small tree, the Sedge warbler skulks about in the low waterside vegetation.

The beginning of May is the traditional time of year for the return of cattle to all the pastures. With almost no rain at all during April it is very much overdue in order to make the grass grow and provide the livestock with grazing throughout the summer months.