Commanding an audience from atop a dying Ash: A little Robin verses through it’s sequence of pleasing whistles and tunes. With very little wind, the sounds are carried over to the woodland, where more Robins can be heard echoing in response from the Holm Oaks.
Here, a Goldcrest tumbles down through the leafy branches, and a Blue Tit swoops below the canopy. It’s dark beneath the evergreen canopy, where only the most shade-tolerant plants can survive – Stinking Iris being one of them. It’s glossy-green leaves line can be found in abundance, and their orange berries littering the paths.
Above the Long Meadow, a Kestrel hanging in the sky. It hovers almost motionless, with just slight wing flutters to steady it’s flight. The bird scans the ground for movement. Nothing sighted, it swerves to the side and moves onto the next patch.
Some bulbs are beginning to awaken, with the daylight growing day by day. Daffodil shoots have sprouted by the Castle, though I didn’t get as far to see if the Crocus have bloomed by the Aviaries. Clusters of Viburnum flowers continue to flourish through the Pleasure Grounds, and the wonderful pink Japanese Spindle berries on display too.
In contrast, the Meadows appear dormant, growing only in saturation of muddy gateways. But come Spring, these will dry into scrapes of bare earth – essential habitat for many species of declining Mining Bees, who will dig a burrow into the exposed ground to lay their eggs.
Yet, more bird song is heard between the cold pockets of scrub. The brown feathers of Dunnock, Wren, and Song Thrush, all blending seamlessly into the bare Blackthorn. Curious calls from the Donkey at Southerd Farm boom across the park.
On my return past the Lighthouse Field, a couple of Pheasants burst into flight. I don’t get as far the coastpath, but I can see a number of Gannets out at sea.