Spring in Chandler’s Ford always reminds me of why we chose to move here – it’s so pretty! Dropping my children off when they were at Thornden always meant a detour along Nichol Road to see the blossom trees.
I was always much keener on taking our old dog for a walk round the nature reserve too, because of the blackthorn and celandines that are among the earliest flowers. Not to mention catching a glimpse of the odd rabbit or two.
Apart from all the trees coming into leaf and the daffodils in every garden, we have an additional pleasure in these parts. This isn’t a good photograph – the deer are always poised for flight – but there aren’t many places where this is a common sight. And the idea of such large wild animals roaming freely is very satisfying.
Another frequent visitor is our latest resident golden pheasant. They move in every spring and a while ago that year’s particular pheasant became so tame he let me hand-feed him. I always wore leather gloves though – those talons are very sharp and so is a pheasant’s beak!
This year’s pheasant is particularly handsome and I hope that he, like previous visitors, will bring his lady friend to feed in our garden. One year, a hopeful male pheasant actually brought four females with him and spent ages chasing them round the garden!
The pheasant in the picture is investigating Dick the Duck, a present from a friend. Dick moves mysteriously round the garden and can be found sitting on the wall, hiding in the hedge, or puzzling the squirrels who sit under the bird feeder!
Finally, my favourite poem about spring – has to be said in a Bronx accent! (Attributed to Ogden Nash but probably anonymous)
Da spring has sprung
Da grass is riz,
I wonder where dem boidies is.
Da little boid is on da wing –
Ain’t dat absoid? Da little wing is on da boid!
It was even better in the late 1950s and 1960s with Nightingales and Nightjars at Hiltingbury and even Doormice in the copse by the old cricket ground site in Hursley Road.
Where was the old cricket ground site ?