Interesting things

I have tentatively started to use the rest period between lunch and None as a wander-round-the-grounds slot, weather permitting. I thought I was the sort of person who never saw interesting things, but I have now discovered that you will see interesting things if you are out regularly looking for them.

So for example, today I saw the/a fox, half red half grey, strolling across the southern boundary. It had its nose in the grass, snuffling out the worms which form the greatest part of their diet. It saw me first, but continued browsing, with a noticeable limp in a back leg. I walked slowly towards it, over the bank to get a better view, without trying to hide. It stopped and groomed for a minute. I came within 20m before it decided I was close enough, and limp or no, dashed for the south-east corner, its white tail tip flicking through the fence.

A flock of linnets twittered east, then back west. Then two cormorants flew over. I was standing by the lowest swale, and initially thought they were frogs, but eventually looked up when the calls receded. I didn't know they were cormorants at the time; Anthony had said he'd seen some, so I guessed and checked out the ribbet birds' 'song'.

And finally, physical geography in action. The rill from the upper swale has a short fall into the middle swale, and is cutting back to create a mini-gorge. Who needs the Grand Canyon?