A wing of iridescent blue follows a flash of soft-brown plumage. The Jay settles amongst the Wych Elm. Its deep black moustache gives the bird quite the inquisitive look as it watches on from the lichen-stained branches.
Nearby, a Song Thrush chants through its verses. The calls echoing loudly above gentler song from Robins and Great Tits.
I head into the woodland following a Squirrel as it races along the cocks and hens of a dry stone wall,. It jumps down and scurries off through the undergrowth of Stinking Iris, most of the plants ripe with orange berries.
Bird song appears to build in intensity as I approach Sunnydale. Yet more Robins sing from every direction, I hear another Song Thrush, audible chirps from Blue Tit and Chaffinch, and more deep churring of Great Tits. Looking up to the canopy you can see them float between the tree tops, little silhouettes against a grey sky.
The Cherry Laurel has put on a fantastic display with every other leaf accompanied by a cluster of large red berries. Its branches tend of hang over the dry streambed where the Roe Deer have clipped the lowest branches.
The same goes for the Japanese Spindle, which is also adorned in fruit- little orange berries which emerge through a pink casing.
As the Mahonia crowns go over, the first Snowdrops have emerged across the forest floor, the tallest standing just 6 inches high with white flower heads drooping atop their stems.
Centre stage at Sunnydale, the Cherry Tree is in full blossom near the Shakespeare bench, flush with rose-pink flowers.