It’s a beautiful sunny day and this morning I decided to take a stroll through the Pleasure Ground Woodlands as I rarely do my diary walks here. Of cause, there is the Fairy Door Trail – plenty of Easter Fairies are around! I start from Long Meadow, in the distance I hear the call of a Fox, as a Crow is spotted flying away as it sees me. I notice the leaves growing on Dog Wood, Field Maple, and Hawthorn, as well as the bloom of white created from the sharp Blackthorn bushes. Ivy, Lords and Ladies, and Stinking Iris are also amongst the hedgerow to the left of me. Ahead are Goldfinches, Wren (also spotted), Blue Tits, Great Tits, and Robins, whilst one also spots a Buff-tailed Bumblebee.
I follow the Woodland Trail on to the wood chipped path Holm Oaks, leafless Ashs, and Sycamore are around, Privet and Bamboo are spotted, a great big veteran Beech tree is also seen (possibly an ancient Beech), and a unique Cyprus tree planted during George Burt’s times. Japanese Spindle, Ramsons (or Wild Garlic), and Cow Parsley amongst Lords and Ladies and Stinking Iris are present. Towards the shed there are also coppiced Hazel trees re-growing – cut initially to let light through to allow ground flora to thrive, here Harts-Tongue, Sheild Ferns, Bracken, Ivy, and Ramsons are spotted. Walking back out towards the shed I notice Sycamore saplings growing.
By the shed the unique sound of a Firecrest can be heard, I pass the shed and spot a Bluebell – unfortunately it’s not native, the native Bluebells are droopy, and the purple bells are narrower, these bells were more opened up. Also spotted around the area was Lesser Celandine, Ramsons, Hydrangeas, Pendulous Sedge, Laurel, Hogweed, Primroses, and plenty of Cow Parsley and Daffodils.
I rush back as time is starting to creep towards 9am, whilst rushing back to Learning Centre I could hear: Jackdaws, Crows, Blue Tits, Wren, various Gulls, Robins, a Blackbird, Magpies, many a Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Goldfinches. Merlin also detected: Rook, Blackcap, Greenfinch, Chiffchaff, Wood Pigeon, and a dubious Yellow-legged Gull.
Have a great Sunday!