Progress?
The warm damp mist hovers
around the hazy canopy
as the light appears over the
timeless forest
and into the still quiet air the
awakening sounds
of the sleepy fauna herald in the
new day.
Then! The Banshee shrieks it's
harrowing call
echoing round the startled jungle.
The gentle giant unable to run
held firmly by it's sturdy roots
is torn apart by the steely teeth
and with an agonising roar
falls slowly down through the
helpless crowd until
with a crack of limbs and a mighty
thump
lies life ebbing on the soft forest
floor.
There, where it has fallen,
like Goliath slain by David
though with characters reversed
the great Iroko stood king of the
forest
for four hundred years, and now
lays
still magnificent but lifeless.
There on the now edge of
the forest
wait the uneasy rest
staring resignedly out at an
unknown creeping wilderness.
(c) 2010 Dave McGough.
Had a couple of hours this morning watching for White-Letter Hairstreaks. Still not that many showing themselves but I still think they will. They are appearing on a variety of trees at the moment which keeps you moving around. There are plenty of Purple Hairstreaks, infact I went back this evening and saw them everywhere, they are more flighty in the evening, flitting from oak tree to ash from ash to hawthorn, even down to head height, I must have seen at least 20. Colin Jupp always does an evening watch and I can see why. 
Essex Skipper
