A Firecrest was my first bird of the morning, as I set out across the dull and muddy meadow at South Field. Even with the wind whistling past my ears, I could hear the distinctive repetitions ‘tsee tsee tsee’ as a gentle and soft sound from the Holm Oaks.
I never saw the bird, just an unidentified flash of wings shooting into the hedgerow. But if I had, I would have seen the smallest bird we get here in the UK, it’s distinctive black eye stripe and flame of orange feathers upon its head.
At this field’s North side, Planet Purbeck volunteers have just began steeping the Hawthorn hedge, along one of our few boundaries not lined by a drystone wall. Ash and English Oak can also be identified emerging at the centre – Ash tipped by large black winter buds, and the Oak identified by the round Oak Galls which decorate its branches.
The rangers have carried out a serious amount of Blackthorn and Bramble clearance to reach the middle of the hedge, due to our farmer’s reluctance to cut hay close to the hedge, and subsequent ever-expanding width of scrub.
Saxon Field is mostly quiet, excepting the loud ‘chit chit chit’ alarm calls from a sounding Robin. In the distance, I can just make out the call of Herring Gulls somewhere towards Swanage Bay. Many more Field Mushrooms have sprouted across the turf.
A bellowing of three Bullfinch fly over as I reach the Cows. Also a beautiful Blue Tit singing from the trees. The cows quietly graze away, Jackdaw and Magpie following close behind. Yellow Dung Flies buzzing around the cow pats.
More cows are spread down over the slopes, past the piping Dunnock and towards Tilly whim. A few of the youngsters jostling with one another, and others utilising the Mile Markers for a good scratch.