I was sitting in the hide yesterday with young people from Baguley Hall Primary School Manchester when I briefly saw a bird flying across the river towards us. “It couldn’t be could it?” I told the children “It’s a cuckoo!” I yelled with excitement! As it disappeared behind some  trees I began to have doubts- was it?  I told the children “Just wait and listen!” I was hoping the bird hadn’t disappeared and was a cuckoo. After what seemed ages we heard that evocative Spring sound that sadly is slowly disappearing from the countryside. None of the children had ever heard one before! A special moment!

I had a lovely story telling session with them tonight telling two old favourites – the shaggy dog story about the Saxons and the river and of course Mollie!