The downland was my aim for the early patrol, but not before casting my eyes skyward to watch a Kestrel manoeuvring – first a hover, then a glide then back to the hover – always wonderful to watch these birds of prey.
The ‘seeping’ song of a Greenfinch coming from amongst the glorious white blossom of the Blackthorn scrub, this green bird with yellow wings stripes spotted after a little searching.
To add to the birdsong soundscape was the ‘quick-quick-slow’ of the Chaffinch (a male perched on the top of a Hawthorn, whose bright green leaves had just emerged). Nearby the blasting call of a Wren and the slightly weak trill of the Dunnock.
In field 6, at the top of Blackthorn, a Cirl Bunting was perched, this male singing loudly, his pale reddish brown stripe across his chest, and greenish stripes on his head making him quite identifiable.
On the downland slopes a scattering of flowers, including the Hairy Violets, a deep violet colour amongst the short grass. While I admired these, my eye was caught by the blue of a Chalk Milkwort, still closed up tight but looking ready to burst open.
Then as I looked along the field, the paler green spikes of the Early Spider Orchids came into my view. Although they are still short, many are now opened so the brown furry ‘flowers’ showing beautifully (if you get low to the ground).
Across the ground a Lesser Bloody-nosed Beetle toddled, passing a patch of Spring Sedge, and Common Whitlow Grass.
From above the loud crying call of a Peregrine Falcon made me look upwards, the dark shape was zooming across the grey sky, its wings swept backwards as it moved.
I was also surprise to be greeted by some rain drops – although not likely to last long – enough to make me binoculars wet and difficult to see through!
Returning back towards the car park, 2 more Cirl Buntings landed on the patch of scrub ahead of me, while a Skylark could be heard above.