Courting birds spread spring wings

Damien Enright says sunshine brings out best in nature.

A BEAUTIFUL few days in mid-February and, just as there’s so much to look at and admire again in Ireland, we’re heading for La Gomera in the Canary Islands on Valentine’s Day.

During the dreary weeks since Christmas I’ve many a time yearned for a bit of sun to bring some colour back into the world, and now that we’re off the islands of almost eternal sunshine, the sun visits here! But, much as I regret missing these days of transformation in west Cork, spring will have reached La Gomera too, with the flowers bursting forth everywhere, the terraces of the huge volcanic valley greening by the day, and the sea warm enough to swim in.