A brilliant, golden-green day by the River Horner, sunlight flaring between alder leaves, fast-flowing water sliding through a series of clear, shallow pools.
Minnows (Phoxinus phoxinus) are leaping for mayflies, their sides mirror-flashing as they fall back into the river with a soft, confidential plop. There are five or six of them working a sunny patch near the bank where tree roots clutch the riverbed. White bellies below a dark-olive stripe show them to be females; the males’ undersides turn rosy in summer. Some have plain, stone-coloured backs, but others are flecked and mottled, imitating the gravel below.
