An early start to a fresh breeze and a much-needed walk around the site. Entering the upper car park the sounds of a Wren, Chaffinch, and Great Tit are heard singing amongst the loud sound of the wind.
At the end of the road one turns left onto Long Meadow where a series of Meadow Browns are sighted, in the meadow a lot of grass species can be spotted amongst the Wild Carrot, Ragwort, Birds-Foot Trefoil, Wild Rose and other plant species, as well as a varying sound of croaking from Bush-Crickets and Grasshopper species.
As one continues to walk Long Meadow, to the left a hedgerow of Blackthorn, Hawthorn, and Brambles with not yet ripened Blackberries. Noticed is also the odd tree of Horse Chestnut and small Pedunculate Oak.
Leaving Long Meadow and onto the road leading to the woodland and pleasure grounds, sighted are large Hawthorn trees, Sycamore and Holm Oaks.
Into the woodland, with use of binoculars looking towards Peveril Point one notices the poor visibility and dull skies. Furthering on the walk a Wood Pigeon was spotted perched on a Sycamore tree. But noticeable was the lack of song bird calls and the sound of the wind blowing into the woodland. Going through the pleasure ground Bramble, Holly, an abundance of Holm Oak, and young Ash growing. Towards the end a Grey Squirrel is seen running up a tree.
On the way back to the Office I hear two Robins calling whilst I check the Moth trap to see if one could spot anything of interest, three of the many seen was the Drinker, Scalloped Oak, and the Brimstone (moth not butterfly!).
Walking into the office spotted lurking on the floor was a Roesel’s Bush-cricket with it’s moon shape marking – this was soon picked up and put outside to save it before its crushed sudden death.