Entering south field, a blur off white, blue and brown flashes past as a Jay hurries past. The yellow of a Bristly Ox Tongue flower stands out in the dark green and brown of the surrounding grass.
Looking south over the dell, a huge flock of Wood Pigeons with over 100 individuals moves as one is a gracefully dance across the skyline as they make there way to there over wintering home. Through the drove, bare trees either side of the path make it easier to see the bird life they usually hide in their foliage. A Great Tit and female Black Bird hop around the branches of a Blackthorn. While a lone Goldfinch calls for its friends before flying off to join a flock heading past.
Reaching the Johnston meadow, the Herford Cattle who were moved by the volunteers yesterday into this field, are happily munching away on the grass. I make my way round the field putting “close the gate” signs on the gates occasionally having to move a cow or two out the way. Through to the next meadow where I watch a Dunnock hop along a small section of exposed drystone wall, before spotting me and diving into the safety of the surrounding scrub. Ivy creeps its way up the exposed walls, with some covered in white round flower heads.
I brush past a Burdock gone to seed to find the Velcro like seeds have stuck to my fleece. In an explosion of wings Wood Pigeons burst out off trees down in the dell before coming together mid air and forming a large flock before gracefully flying away.
Heading along the top of the light house field, a tiny Wren sticks its head out of some scrub to sing and waggle its tail in the air. Above a silent Black Cap observes its surroundings from the top of the patch of scrub. Further along the path I spot two Stonechat atop a large path of Blackthorn, they proceed to hop from one patch of scrub to another before coming to rest on a patch near the gate. A familiar silhouette sits atop the top mile marker preening its feathers, a quick look through my binoculars confirms it’s a Kestrel.