Been Talking To The Animals Again

The pheasant I was chatting to yesterday decide to stroll through the garden gate and explore. I spotted it while I was at the sink and went out with the camera. I approached it, talking softly and continuously. After scratching around the bins for a while it walked towards me and then out of the gate.

I called in at the Panshanger Park Dragonfly Trail. You can see this common darter's face turned towards me. I'm kneeling and chatting away to it. I also stroked its tail, which it seemed to like. I spoke to a hornet too and managed a shot of it in flight. 

From there to Tewin Orchard nature reserve. I've never been before. When I got out of the car the cider smell hit me. I enjoyed walking under the trees heavy with fruit, finding the ancient badger sett and a log that looked like a pig. 

On the way home I had a quick visit to the Tewinbury hide, saw a kingfisher but failed to capture it.

Today's poem is Stars Wheel in Purple by HD. https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poem/stars-wheel-purple

Oh my Gosh! How weird. I've just been researching Dr Doolitle. I wondered what HD stood for. It's Hilda DOOLITTLE! Also one of her best known poems is Orchard.
Today's poem is in praise of Polaris.