A proper spring morning with the warm sunlight yet to dry dew-covered grass. Fluffy fern-like leaves of Yarrow have sprouted amongst the Wild Arum and glossy gleaming Celandine. Stepping through you can smell the onion-scent of Crow Garlic; the stems now extending high above the sward. Impressive Yellow Meadow Ant-hill mounds are plentiful across the rougher grassland, with Buff and Red-tailed Bumblebee bumbling between.
Stepping out into the meadows, a definitive sign of spring: Chiffchaffs call out their namesake ‘chiff-chaff, chiff-chaff’ and it is echoed in all directions. Listen more carefully for the high-pitched, yet tuneful, Dunnock, and the hurried Wren.
Most perceptible is the Song Thrush, versing through repetitions of each distinctive and curious call. In the distance singing Skylark. All these birds calling to bond with their partners, and nesting across the park.
Towards Anvil Point, the full seascape is revealed, a beautiful blue vista from East to West. The hills slope down towards it, speckled with pockets of golden Gorse blooms. White Blackthorn blossom also beginning to show, intensifying through April, until the later Mayflower. Hawthorn and Elder currently showing as delightful patches of green.
Cowslips are popping up all across the meadows, and decorate the turf with their nodding heads of pale primrose-yellow flowers. Look closely to see if you can find the first few Early Spider Orchids. These spikes no taller than a Daisy, green stalk and brown labellum well-hidden amongst the grass.
The bird ringing volunteers report a quiet morning, but with a notably late Redwing. Most of these birds having moved Northeast to Scandinavia a month or so ago. As discussion turns to the Cirl Bunting’s whereabouts and new residency here... A male is heard atop a nearby Sycamore. Through binoculars its distinctive yellow eye stripe can be viewed and the patches of rusty brown.