Hallerbos, before the bluebells

Bluebells aren’t out yet in Hallerbos — I came too early by about two weeks on purpose, because I wanted the beech understory empty so I could photograph just the shape of the woods. The carpet comes later and floods everything in blue, which is beautiful but not what I wanted this trip.

The floor was already pushing up wood anemone and the first wild garlic leaves. Light through mist made the beech trunks look like they were standing on their own.

Bird-wise: Common Chiffchaff calling on arrival, Great Tits everywhere, a Marsh Tit that cooperated for a long minute, and a pair of Eurasian Jays with a grudge against whatever was under their tree. Plus a very loud pair of Mistle Thrushes.

I didn’t bring the long lens on purpose — just the 23mm — and I don’t regret it. A single focal length forces you to move your feet and see what’s in front of you. I moved my feet a lot today.

Saw a fox from about forty feet away on a trail. Stopped, sat on the ground, and watched it for almost a minute before it moved on. No photo. The phone wouldn’t have done it justice and the camera at 23mm was even more hopeless. I’m fine with memory for that one.