A bright sunny morning after yesterdays well needed rain. I head out towards the meadows. As I pass the wildlife garden an unusual noise can be heard coming from the bushes, I look up to see a blue bird with a long cylindrical beak, it seems to have a colourful back as well, but with the sun shining on it its hard to make out. I set out on my walk with this bird stuck in my head and can’t wait to get back to the office to investigate what it is.
Heading out into the meadow a flock of Goldfinch pass over head there light chirping a soothing sound. At the edge of the path towards the gate into saxon, Common Spotted Orchids can be seen starting to flower. There light purple flowers standing out against the green grass.
A large white flower with a light-yellow centre can be seen along the edge of the path in Saxon a Burnet Rose, the spiny stems at the perfect hight to scratch your legs. Yellow Rattle, Birds-foot Trefoil and Buttercups give splashes of yellow throughout the field.
In Oxeye Meadow a sea of Oxeye Daises can be seen with Common Sainfoin interrupting them with large flower spikes of bright pink blooms.
I head back towards the wildlife garden to see if I can see the unusual bird again. I do spot a Chaffinch and a couple of White Throats. At the Learning Centre I do hear the bird again but don’t see it.
At the Learning Centre I search through books and the internet trying to find the bird I convince myself out of thinking its a certain bird. Before Katie arrives to announce she has seen the same bird, and it is what I think it is a European Bee Eater. A very colourful bird that is a passing migrant.