The RSPB tell me that the first nesting pair of purple herons have been spotted in Britain. Coincidentally the site is at Dungeness in Kent where the society and other parties are battling against an airport development at nearby Lydd. The striking birds mainly breed in southern Europe and visit the UK in small numbers. But the nesting pair is set to be the first to lay eggs and raise young in the UK. The RSPB has set up round-the-clock protection.  If the eggs hatch successfully then it is hoped to set up a viewing station. The purple heron, closely related to the larger and widespread grey heron, can reach 90cm in height with a wingspan of up to a metre and a half. Meanwhile the RSPB is calling on the government to call in the planning applications for proposed expansion at Lydd Airport.  The local authority, Shepway District Council, controversially consented the applications in the face of a recommendation to refuse given on environmental grounds by the council’s own planning officials.  So far over 10,000 representations have been made to the Government Office of the South East to ensure this decision is scrutinised in a full public inquiry.

Travelling around the Cotswolds is always a delight but with so much in bloom at the moment the area looked – and smelled – particularly good for my visit on Thursday and Friday. If you get the chance to follow the Blossom Trail which is centred on nearby Vale of Evesham then don’t turn it down. The apple and plum trees look dazzling at the moment and with laburnum also blooming superbly the quiet country lanes are a fabulous sight. I’ll be writing about the Cotswolds in July’s Countryman but this week look out for the June issue which is about to go on sale. We’ve a special article on the forgotten army of the First World War – the Land Army Girls who worked in the fields to feed a nation. We’ve also a profile on naturalist Sir Peter Scott, and our forthright columnist Robin Page has a go at the planners. Visit www.thecountryman.co.uk to take out a subscription.
Photo shows a quiet lane at Swinbrook in the Cotswolds

The drive and initiative of rural people never ceases to amaze me. I was at the Yorkshire Rural Awards presentation event this week hosted by John Craven. Recipients of the awards, organised by Countryman’s sister magazine Dalesman, ranged from small hydro schemes to renovated cottages from ice cream makers to potato marketers. One innovative scheme involved a bed firm. Harrison Spinks Beds acquired their own farm in the countryside to keep flocks of British breeds of sheep and they now produce their own fibres for use in mattresses. They have also worked closely with Natural England to mark out areas of conservation of the local flora and fauna and plan to use their outbuildings to provide a visitor centre and accommodation. Maybe ‘innovative’ is the wrong word as our ancestors stuffed mattresses with animal coats for centuries but it is still good to know that our own countryside and British breeds can still have a big part to play today.
Visit www.yorkshireruralawards.co.uk for details of the scheme.

Although I’ve been off work, catching up on some holiday entitlement, I’ve woken up at my usual hour as if setting off to the Countryman office. But this week I’ve able to linger a while and take in a little more of what’s going on around me. Through the open bedroom window I could hear a song thrush. I listened to its beautiful tune for several minutes before a car door slammed shut and disturbed us both. I dressed leisurely and strolled the long way to the village hall to vote. The dandelions (mainly in my ‘garden’) were opening up to greet a strong sun; lambs were lying in the field content after a breakfast feast; the buttery gorse was out and trees were showing off some new greenery. Two house martins flew frantically in incomprehensible patterns and I caught the sound of rooks arguing in a distant copse. Another thrush entertained me in the churchyard then a horse popped its head over the wall to see who was walking down the lane. The bubbling beck was as clear as a bell… it wasn’t yet 7.15am but already I was feeling totally relaxed. Unfortunately, there was no one from the ‘Nature Party’ on the list of candidates.

While I’m driving and walking around the countryside I’m forever stopping and admiring the architecture, be it a church, a farm, a barn or the local manor house. There is such a variety of styles and designs - some peculiar to a particular area, others standard to the whole of the UK. Even this old utilitarian hay barn (above) has an endearing quality, a reminder of more austere times when concrete and corrugated iron were the most affordable materials a farmer could afford. High up on a desolate moor in Teesdale I came across this intricate little site (below). Despite being small and built of rough local stone it has obviously still serves a purpose, probably for looking after and treating the sheep of the high fells. They might not fit into many people’s twee vision of the countryside but aren’t they both super examples of our heritage and worth preserving?