Shrike

A red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) near the broad fields of the upper Arno floodplain near Poppi. Taken through the car windscreen.

We’d gone down to our biggest plant nursery just to have a break from the house and land. All wearing masks. Was after some cantaloupe plants as mine have suffered in the cool weather and overspill from No.2 3,000 litre water tank. They didn’t have any so bought four watermelon plants and a shrub with cerulean blue flowers to make up the total.

Another desperate spring for nursery owners and the huge expanse of wholesale nurseries near Pistoia.

The weather continues cool and cloudy. There have been problems in Italy with returning urban nightlife - known by the Spanish’movida’ for some reason - and social distancing. 60,000 civil stewards have been recruited to remind revellers to revel responsibly. Sales of bar drinks after 7pm in Milan banned. Although yesterday saw a most unpleasant demonstration of orange vests in the city centre which seemed to be motivated by almost hysterical conspiracy theories.