In the wildlife garden pond two Palmate Newts were eventually spotted, as was a Water Boatman. Amongst the snail shell debris there were also fresh blooms of Algae underwater. Peering up, upon hearing a Raven, it was a Great Tit that was seen amongst Buddleia. Not unusually, a Pheasant Cock was heard as was a distant Green Woodpecker. Hazel catkins dangled from Cons well laid hedge, a sign that it was doing well. Three reptile monitoring sheets were relocated, whilst the ants were absent. An anthill itself had a few of the miniature white flowers of Hairy Bittercress upon it. The leaves of Arum and the solid fronds of Harts Tongue Fern added colour at the scrub edge. A fresh a smart recent drystone wall rebuilds had to be admired.
Aerial interactions were taking place over the Large Copse between a Raven and a few Carrion Crows. From the tree cover a Jay called.
It was a great morning for Skylark song in Saxon. A trio of these vocalists were engaged in aerial chases of twists, turns, loops and dives. For a moment the three landed together but it was not long before two were up a sparring in the air again. Initially one then another Jay flew west over the Hay Rake where the basal leaves of Early Spider Orchids were found. Stems of Agrimony, Woolly Thistle and Burdock still held seeds or burrs to be spread by wind or mammal. The snapped feather spines of a Pheasant suggested the past activity of a Fox. Perched on a water-trough one, of pair of Wood Pigeons drank. I passed dry bracken either laid down parallel to the ground or at an angel supported by Blackberry. Stretching above the tops of its Blackthorn host, rose the tendrils of Honeysuckle. At ground level tall slender conical leaf blades were that of a wild Chive.
In Taskers I set up a pair of Magpies from a short turf pathway. In the Large Copse I observed an odd alien like cancerous growth the caused a concentration small branch growth part way upon an otherwise slender Elm. Bounding along the edge of Skipworth were a trio of Sika Deer that were noted for their white behinds.