Microcosmic

‘Chiff chaff' those two notes change everything. From about the second week in March, I strain my ears – willing those magical notes to come out  of the dawn.  My wildlife highlight of the year is hearing the first chiffchaff – every year. it’s a ritual with me. What makes it so special?  The Chiffchaff is usually the first of the summer migrants I encounter. It’s heralds a mass immigration.  A glorious influx of avian biomass from the South. Small feathered  creatures that maybe only days earlier were sharing African savannahs with Attenborough-bothering mega-fauna. As bird songs go, it’s not much to write home about –  monotonous in fact. I can’t help thinking that if I'm reincarnated  as a Chiffchaff, I might mix it up a bit – throw in the odd ‘Chuff'.  Maybe even do a remix. Still, magical it remains.  The patch isn’t quite the same.  What was wintery and grey is given a sheen of spring. The world is suddenly brighter – replete with possibilities –