Usually, Spring is heralded by the arrival of White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) and soon my region is filled with these huge birds. However, this year the first to arrive has been the Black Stork (Ciconia nigra). We very rarely see these as they are far more shy than the white ones and prefer to nest in forests rather than atop telegraph poles or chimneys.
Earlier this week I spotted a Black Stork whilst driving home but was unable to stop and photograph it due to traffic issues. However, this morning my son returned from walking the dog along the riverside and told me there was one wading in the water. I rushed out and managed to snap off a couple of poor photos before the bird startled and flew off.
Spring really isn’t making itself known though. At night the temperature is still well below zero and this morning we had snowy sleet. Yesterday, while out setting my trail cam in the forest, I discovered a small yellow Morel mushroom hiding under the leaf litter. I searched for more but didn’t find any…
