Fairly grey and overcast, to start my patrol a wander across the meadows to see the Cows, all grazing in Smithfield, and to check the gates which were all closed – thankyou.
A few swooping Swallows swept across the sky above my head, their long tails showing well, accompanying them were some House Martins, the white rump visible when they turned sharply to reveal for a moment their backsides.
As I walked across the meadow the ground was wet underfoot, reminding me to check on the newly repaired stopcock on the estate water pipes, which supply all the troughs around the National Nature Reserve. On reaching my hole I was pleased, after some bailing, to find the pipework was not leaking. Just leak number two to fix next!! As I rose from my hands and knees behind me a Rabbit bounded into the Bramble scrub, not a common sight anymore to see a Rabbit here.
A Dunnock was calling loudly from the Hawthorn, the tree covered in dark red berries. The attractiveness of grey head and its streaky brown back of the Dunnock is often overlooked – perhaps because it is ‘always’ about, or maybe its because it is also known as the Hedge Sparrow.
Along the side of the field amongst some of the uncut field margin the single lilac flower of a Field Scabious. Scattered nearby a few yellow Rough Hawksbit flowers, mostly closed, so a column of yellow petals, waiting for the sun before they open up.
More reports yesterday of a lone Sheep on the park, so do be aware. No sign of the large white woolly creature this morning, although after a lot of squeezing and clambering through the Brambles, Blackthorn, Bracken, Old Man’s Beard and Burdock I did find the likely spot it arrived through. Yet another dry-stone walling job required!
Returning back to the Ranger’s den, the drizzle was falling and parkrun was almost ready to start their weekly 5km run (or jog or walk)