Jan 28th Earlham Cemetery, Norwich

Earlham Cemetery

A cemetery may sound like a strange place to see wildlife, but you'd be surprised. I am at Earlham Cemetery in Norwich with my mum for a walk. With the city just a stones throw away, it is remarkably peaceful here. There is a magical connection between nature and the dead in this place. As I walk along the rows of tombstones, I notice life living on and around them. Patches of lichen decorate the older tombstones as well as the occasional ivy. Birds such as robins, blue tits, long-tailed tits, nuthatches, jays and magpies create a chorus of melancholy to the still winter air. Leafless trees tower above the dead, standing completely still without a breath of wind to stir their branches. It feels like a different world to what I have experienced before.

Robin

Woodpigeon

Jay

Magpie

Grey Squirrel

Squirrels are everywhere. Wherever you look there is one either bounding around amongst the tombstones or leaping from tree to tree. They also seem to like eating the flowers put out by loved ones. I saw this one eating these flowers on a the person's tombstone and then went to get another to take away to bury somewhere. Clearly, it has no respect for the dead! We also saw robins and treecreepers during our walk this afternoon.

Snowdrops

Spring has appeared early this year. Two months early in fact. With such a mild winter, spring plants that usually emerge in mid-February and March are already in flower now in late January! Snowdrops have emerged a couple of weeks ago, ahead of normal schedule and are in full display. Daffodils, crocuses and even primroses are the more surprising blooms to see at this time of year. Though seeing a carpet of purple crocuses amongst tombstones is a beautiful sight, it does, however, open up your eyes to a changing climate.

Daffodil

Primrose

Crocus

Another Crocus

Crocuses and Tombstones!