I got to work happy that I was about to do the Wildlife Diary, yet slightly tired due to the Sound of a Fox keeping me awake until 01:00 last night, luckily a sound of an Owl calmed me to sleep eventually. The morning has started as an overcast one, yet mild again for February! I start the walk from the Walling Centre, here past the walling centre and in a patch of scrubby Brambles, Blackthorn and Hawthorn I hear a Dunnock, as well as another on the other side behind the dog bin. Behind me in the small copse is the sound of a Wren, and other sounds one hears are Magpies, Crows and Robins.
I continue into lighthouse field, turning right into the grassy/muddy track. Here I notice the blue sky in the distance out west which I took a picture off whilst including the Lighthouse in it. From the distance I could hear the farmland sounds of chickens and sheep. In the closer distance sounds of a Pheasant, Magpie, Jackdaws, and Crows. As well as spotted was a Wood Pigeon above me, Great Tit, Robin. Raven and Linnets. I look straight on, my heart sank as I could see two or three Hereford’s, I thought they could be the neighbours but the distance through my binoculars seemed to close. So, I head to investigate! As I walk fast, I hear a Song Thrush, Great Tits, Robins, and Blue Tits as I struggle to walk through the muddy and slippery path, I glimpse a Greenfinch as I hear another Song Thrush. I also hear and see a Skylark whilst I hurry to see if the remaining heifers are okay. I get to the end, close to the furthest west of our beautiful Country Park, and find that the Herefords were our neighbours. My only thought was: “The other Rangers will just laugh at this”, as I laugh and calm myself down. Whilst I calm, I notice another Skylark! Worry quickly turned into excitement as this means Spring is almost here!
I go to check the Heifers in jack Baiss, within Field 1 with my binoculars, from here initially counted 19, which is one too many, so counted again a couple more times and counted 14 – “I better go up there I thought”. From here I also spotted a Roe Deer up past Old Tip, and 3x Pheasants were in field 1. As I walk up to Jack Baiss via the Quarry Road, I notice how the Warren field is full of European Gorse with its yellow bloom, I stop for a minute, I spot a Chaffinch on top of what I believe is Sycamore (I find it hard to tell with leafless trees, but the bark seemed right for Sycamore), a Wren is heard, as well as another Song Thrush, Robins, Pheasants, Jackdaws, Wren, I noticed my Merlin app stated a Common Ring Plover (although I’m uncertain about this as I associate them with more Wetland areas, maybe more of an Arne bird I thought), of cause the sound of Skylarks was all over the area. Spotted was Magpies, Crows, Blackbirds, as well as 2x Great Tits. By this time I realised it was almost 09:00 – “I better get going!” I said to myself.
Final count of the Heriford Heifers was 18, with one hiding away from the crowd to make me walk around Jack Baiss more like the Heifers are plotting to scare me more!
Merlin App picked up – Dunnock, Jackdaw, Magpie, Robin, Crow, Greenfinch, Raven, Skylark, Pheasant, Wren, Chaffinch, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Ringed Plover, and Song Thrush.