Not just a Blackbird! It is too easy to take “everyday” things for granted. Yesterday, I responded to a report of an injured Blackbird, and I expected I would be putting the bird to rest. I saw ruffled wing feather and the male bird sat on the ground huddle against a wall. I threw my sweatshirt over it and picked it to place in a box. When I went to examine the bird with its vivid yellow beak and eye rings, I was delighted when it flew out of the box, back to life!
This morning there were many Blackbird encounters and alarm calls. The dew pond retained some water in the hollows created by Hereford Cattle hooves. Still some Scentless Mayweed flowers decorated the mostly clay, peppered with a few limestone pieces. Flag Iris leaves and that of Black Bog Rush stood by. It was pleasant to find several flowering Creeping Buttercups amongst the sward. In Field one there were five Sika Deer grazing. The pond in Centenary had one third water cover amongst which was Common Reed, small leaved Water lily, Moss, and Water Mint. On my meander from the quarry hummocks, I disturbed a solo Roe Deer.
I stood upon the Centenary / Herren Ground stone stile to loo at the Herford Cattle in the distance. Despite much mooing there were no obvious signs of escape. However, I remained concerned in that we appear to be four Herefords short. We are hoping that the four are simply the “teenager” quartet from Townsend that have hanging out in their own secret scrubby corner.
At Holcombe I trod with car upon the slipper mud of the shaded “snicket” footpath. I admire the wall with its patchy moss coat even between the “Cock & Hen” capstones. Herb Robert leaves protrude from some moss. Upon reaching the Drove I saw Great Tits and Robins briefly paused upon the gate rungs. I was delighted when my “Redd Warbler calls” caught the attention and curiosity of Firecrest. In Saxon two thrush sized birds that paused in Sycamore might have been Fieldfares or Redwing, if only they stayed still longer…