I walked west towards the grey clouds for reasons unknown. It was another Gatekeeper morning although Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood and a Large White were noted. Under Ash shelter a Hoverfly and Gnats were on the wing. South Field had the odd seed clock whilst Thistle down could be found at the edges. Whilst Burdock was passed without burr collection, the same could not be said of Agrimony encounters. Calls were exchanged betwixt Carrion Crows perched in, Large Copse and a South Field scrub island respectively.
Blackbird alarm calls broken the silent, which was soon dominated by the whirr of neighbour’s garden machinery. Over Saxon flew a Herring Gull, such a bird appeared to have dropped a feather near the centre. A pair of Magpies followed shortly.
Scanning the ground about Hay Rake Quarr, I was delighted to find Ted Pratts “Stars in Grass” or Bastard Toadflax with its tiny five petal flowers. Eye Bright bloomed nearby along with some Kidney Vetch whilst Rest Harrow was visited by a Bumble Bee. Two Ant hills resembled cushions of Wild Thyme whilst a Centaury pink flower stood out. Stonechat calls were heard in Saxon and many flowers bloomed in the early grazed north side which will avoid the hay cut. Grasshopper took “flight” amongst Field Scabious, Wild Parsnip, Greater Knapweed, Spear Thistle, Corky Fruited Water Dropwort, Lady’s Bedstraw and Red Bartsia. A Goats Beard flower was closed due to insufficient sunlight. In a scrubby southwest corner both White and Lilac Buddleia flowers bloomed. I enjoyed two ripe Blackberries, whilst butterflies made the most of the plants remaining flowers.
Entering the Large Copse via a mammal track, I was met by a floor covered with Ivy, many Ash saplings, a few Elm suckers, patch of Stinking Iris and the carpet of Winter Heliotrope leaves. It was a surprised to find, under the canopy, burnt / turning yellow / brown Horse Chestnut leaf tips. Lower trunks of thin Elm had suffered bark stripping by Deer. Rubbery Jelly Ear was upon a dead branch of Sycamore. Occasional ship horn blast must have been related to movements within Poole harbour, as visibility was good.