A gorgeous sunny morning welcomed in the first of April, and considering the weather recently, if I had said there were large patches of frost all across the meadows, outlining the grasses in a white crispy ice, I wouldn’t have been believed but that’s – April Fool’s day for you!
A Green Woodpecker yaffling loudly and regularly, eventually spotted as it flew, in its typical undulating flight pattern, above Smithfield, showing up beautifully against the deep blue sky.
The Blackthorn hedges are still only sparsely covered in the delicate blossom, but walking along the lea-side was a pleasure due to the protection it provide from the chilly wind. I was not alone making the most of the shelter, as a Dunnock was perched on a twig singing loudly, a slightly wispy sound compared with the stronger song of the Robin and Wren which were also nearby.
The Johnston Meadow currently has the best display of Cowslips, with hundreds of little lemon yellow flowers, these and the other fields should get better and better by Easter. As I admired the beauty, from behind me came the superb song of a Skylark, its incessant tune made me turn, and it was hovering only a couple of metres above the grasses, and easily close enough to allow me to admire its delicate markings.
As you go round the fields you will notice some posters about the Skylarks, so please keep your dog on a lead if it is not under very close control, this will reduce disturbance enabling the Skylarks to breed more successfully.
A few bells of the Bluebell just beginning to open up, alongside some Primroses and Lesser Celandine, while around the car parks patches of vivid blue of the Grape Hyacinth can be spotted.
A Chiffchaff skulked around the trunk of the Willow, the ends of its twigs covered in soft furry silver. Above a Raven croaked loudly.