I passed the dew pond, where some remnant glass shard ice remained a headed up the drove. I was relieved that the electric fence was still working and the Hereford cattle when grazing meadows 42 & 43. A few walling stones had been dislodged, and I notice one cow left behind. A Robin explored “Panorama Drove”, which no longer needed brush-cutting, amongst the cattle. Alongside Panorama Road I found over a dozen Winter Heliotrope in flower.
A Herring Gull flew over the reclaimed landfill and head in the direction where mewing came from. A pair of Carrion Crow fled a Jack Basis Sycamore. Before I returned to the park, a Kestrel flew across Haysom Quarry. I returned by the adjacent name’s sake Meadow passing over the scrub obscured causeway. In Herren Ground I heard a “pee” and a suspected Lapwing fled into Johnston Meadow. By following I was rewarded by seeing a pair of Lapwing which are these farmland birds in Johnston Meadow.
A pair of Carrion Crows either called to each other, or another such bird that responded from the Small Copse, before heading up the upper gully. Beside the ash pile, at the walling centre, a trio of Goldfinches, a Cock Pheasant and a male Blackbird explored. There came a “wrack, wrack” as a Raven flew west which was shortly to be repeated either by the same bird circling or another following. Near the centre a Magpie babbled.
Now that the ground has defrosted, we can enjoy slipping upon clay instead of ice!
Interesting fact: Although I knew Shrews had a fast metabolism and thus “live fast die young” in comparison to other small mammals I had no idea that they did not hibernate. These creatures shrink in winter thus requiring less food in this lean season. Meanwhile, this month the Fox breeding season begins!