We have been lucky during the lockdown to have had one of the most beautiful Spring seasons of recent years. Come and join us as we reveal some of the natural beauty of Mayfield.
Sitting quietly in the spring sunshine this rabbit is ever alert for potential foes and soon after the shutter on Martin’s camera clicked to get this great shot, said rabbit went back to the important task of eating the fresh Spring grass all around it.Meanwhile in the village itself, spring blossom is starting to peak in the gardens across Mayfield , a joy for both owners and passers by.Look closer in the trees and you will quickly see a bird or two. Here is a very attentive Nuthatch defending his territory. We are lucky to see him for when the leaves are fully out he will be hard to spot sitting in the new foliage. The tree blossom is beautiful to look at but also vitally important for insects such as this stunning Peacock butterfly feeding on a wild cherry blossom. This picture taken by Martin is next to a field just beyond the church. The universal image of Spring is a young lamb and in the fields around the church were these four young ones . Everything is new for lambs and old branches lying in the field become a magnet for them and a very useful place to scratch that newly discovered itch. Seconds later the group scattered as mothers spotted the photographer in the adjoining field! Down towards the river individual trees in blossom become whole hedgerows of trees giving a curtain of delicate blossoms in the valley.There is nothing as elegant as a swan gliding along a river oblivious of all around it. The Dove in Mayfield has two pairs of swans, keeping respectful distance from each other (social distancing in nature!) as they patrol their stretch of the river. The moist banks around a river are the perfect place for wildflowers to grow partially shaded by trees, their leaves a beautiful Spring green.New life is also along the river bank and a mother shields her five ducklings from the intruder on the bankside, a not so easy task as ducklings wander off or fall back behind. Mother however is there within seconds protecting her brood.As far away as you can get from the river, a Highland cow lazily looks up as Martin takes his portrait in a field in Upper Mayfield. Highland cows should by rights be out of place in rural Staffordshire but they present a warm and friendly presence in the village despite the size of those horns. Once one animal gets his picture taken they all want to join in! These two lambs, a bit older than the ones down by the church patiently wait for their chance to be a photographer’s model. “Take our picture Martin, take it now!”But you don’t have to go far from your house to enjoy nature at its best. Primroses have appeared in gardens across the village adding freshness to their surroundings.And colour is added to our scenery by this magnificent berberis bursting with flowers at the top of Moorlands Drive.This Greenfinch seems less interested in colour and more in need of a conversation. The boy however has his finger raised as if to say Hush, Martin is prowling around with his camera – well it is his own garden you know!As we come to the end of our tour of the beauty in Mayfield we feature two trees in blossom; above, on The Avenue and below, on The Park. There for all to see and enjoy as they reflect how close nature is to us all in the village.And finally back to the garden; Martin’s in fact, with a Blue Tit cooling of in the hot weather with a dip in the water feature. You can almost hear it saying “DO YOU MIND, can a bird get no privacy”. And on that note we leave nature to its own. We hope you have enjoyed this glimpse of Spring in Mayfield . Photos M.B., S.D. Words S. D.
