The clocks have rolled back, giving a much lighter start to the day. It feels good, with the light breeze having cleared the cloud, revealing a bright blue sky. Looking out through the towering Black Pines, a calm blue sea stretches as far as St Catherine’s Point and beyond.
I head out through the woodland, where leaves rustle underfoot. An ever-increasing amount of sky is revealed through the diminishing canopy, spurring on some ground flora: Fresh sprigs of Cow Parsley and Snowdrop shoots. Flower crowns begin to grow upon the Mahonia.
No leaves remain on some trees, such as the Horse Chestnut, which gives a distinct cold-feeling as you peer up through the barren branches. Others still await the change; Beech canopy still fluttering full of green leaves.
There’s a beautiful Lime Tree down by the Aviary glade, usually noted for its a thicket of basal shoots. But today, I note it’s leaves which have turned a wonderful lemon-yellow. Occasionally, a vibrant crimson-red stands out amongst the brown leaf-litter, finely pointed palmate tips identifying it to have fallen from one of our few Norway Maple.
Several Crows can be heard down round Sunnydale, their calls echo out in each direction over the sound of waves lapping the shore in Durlston Bay. Silhouettes perched upon branches of the Black Pine and Lawson’s Cypress. Full wingspan displayed as they take flight, with long feather ‘fingers’ extending from their wing tips.
Light tweeting can be heard over the raucous Crows. Little birds flowing between the trees. Peer up through the red Haws to see Chaffinch, and Great Tit hidden amongst the evergreen Holm Oak. Hear the melancholic tunes from Robin, the gentle chatter of Goldfinch, and Blackcap in song.
As I return to the office the Sun has just risen enough to warm the air, and awaken a Red Admiral butterfly from its torpor.