A fresh south-easterly breeze coming across the National Nature Reserve today, which along with the bright sunshine made for a lovely early patrol.
Flowers popping up everywhere, including the tubular bell shaped yellow flowers of the Cowslips, hundreds scattered in the fields, mostly quite short but occasionally a tall specimen is spotted.
In the usual places the thick browny-yellow-green leaves (only an inch or so tall) of Adders-tongue Fern can be spotted, with the thin tall spike protruding upwards from its centre.
Our first Orchid of the year, the Early Spider, is also now showing, the brown ‘spider flower’ easily seen if you are low to the ground. To accompany these a Green-winged Orchid was also noted.
The hedges and patches of Blackthorn scrub are becoming a gorgeous white as the blossom takes over. Perched on the tops of the spiky twigs a Stonechat and a Wren, while on the turf a few Meadow Pipits were strutting, then flitting up before landing again, in the distance the sound of a Skylark could be heard over the breeze.
Perched on the back one of the wooden Skylarks (placed to remind people to keep to the paths and dog under control) was a Robin - obviously finding a giant Skylark a good perch!
In the woods, the Rooks were active, with birds sitting on the nests and others bringing in twigs to titivate their wooden structure.
A sudden burst of movement along the Hazel saw a Sparrowhawk, a glimpse of pale grey back as it dashed at speed.
On the small branches of a Small-leaved Lime was a Firecrest, which for once was allowing me to have a good look, and to see its bright orange stripe down its head - from forehead to nape, as well as the white stripe across its eye.
The sweet smell of the Balm of Gilead Poplar was wafting up from the landslip area, nearby the Bay tree was sporting its round pale yellow seeds and the Japanese Spindle its pale pink ones. While there are lots of Daffodils and Primroses to enjoy.