Starting off a changing my shoes, many birds can be heard – Blue Tit, Robins, Crows and Jackdaws above, Great Tit, Wren, Goldfinches, Wood Pigeon, Dunnock and Blackbird. I look to the right of me and am happy to see the beautiful signs of spring as Daffodils bloom in a clump nicely.
Walking onward I take Long Meadow, spotting the redness of Dogwood, leafless Field Maple, Greenfinches on top of a leafless Sycamore, Blackthorn with lichens surrounding them, Brambles, with a Wren singing away close by to it, Herring Gulls heard in the distance towards Durlston Bay, Collard Doves, Crows eating away in the middle of the meadow, a Song Thrush in the distance left of me, while nearby Long-tailed Tits, are seen within Holm Oaks and plenty of Stinking Iris to the ground.
On the Woodchip path within the Pleasure Ground Woodlands lots of Winter Heliotrope is the first thing I notice at ground level, here there is also Harts-tongue Fern. A magpie is heard above as Evergreen Spindle and Holly are spotted, as well as large Cyprus and a veteran Beech. Back to the ground Ivy as well as Lords and Ladies are seen.
I stand by the Egyptian seat to listen out to the bird activity, a very Corvid heavy sound as Crows, Rooks, and Jackdaws are loud above the canopy. Also heard is the Song Thrush, countless Robins, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long-tailed Tits, Coal Tits, a Wren towards the shed, and a Wood Pigeon, with the Herring Gulls heard every so often over Durlston Bay.
Continuing, I decide to head close to the aviaries, Primroses are spotted, and Early Crocus – a Eastern European native (Hungary, Bulgaria and Albania) not considered invasive in the UK is blooming with its purple petals, and yellow carpel and anthers. Heading back up to the Learning Centre, I stop to look out to sea, with the sun trying to come out between Black Pine and Holm Oak. Unfortunately walking it starts to rain! Saplings of Hazel, a male Blackbird, and a pesky Grey Squirrel are all seen.