Issue 7

Nature Watch 10

"MEDITATING" - I am sitting beneath an Alder tree beside Ogmore River; a million miles from it all, a million years pass by, and I´m young again.

The Trout are feeding, slapping out of their element, flashing silver as they catch the rays of the morning Sun. A Robin is constantly "tip-tipping", upset about something; maybe because I am here, a human intruding into his river world.

The River Ogmore flows next to the Clinic. The clinic is to the left of this picure. By: GrahamG

A wagtail lands on a large rock, mid-river, uttering his characteristic metallic "tizzick" call. A collared dove comes down to drink and bathe and I watch it with quiet pleasure.

A flotilla of mallards float quietly along the riverbank, I can hardly see them, they are so perfectly camouflaged to blend in with the greys and earthy colours of the riverbank. When they are still, I can just make out the blue and grey chevrons of their wings. They delve into the shallow water and one female rises with a golden leaf stuck to her head. Then, as quickly and silently as they appeared they turn into the current and float gracefully away back downstream

The river is softly singing now,soothing my receptive soul, slowing down my thoughts and I am totally at ease - at one with the river.

Flies are rising, hatching from the shallows, seeds and down are floating on the slight, warm, breeze - some fall gently onto the water. The rippled surface is speckled by silver-grey light coming through the canopy of alder, ash and sycamore above.

I occasionally hear a big splash beside me and across the river, but I am too relaxed to raise my head to spot what it was. There´s a big Trout in there somewhere, I think to myself

I hear the drone of traffic on the motorway further upriver, the sound of activity on the nearby farm and dogs barking in the distance – life goes on. Aeroplanes fly overhead to unknown destinations and I am here, living for the moment .... Lazing by Ogmore river.....completely lost in a slumbery, summer dream.

RobW

The River Ogmore flows next to Caswell Clinic. The clinic is to the left of this picure. Image By: GrahamG