After another drenching of rain yesterday – we had 19.8mm in the last 24 hours – the ground is sodden, and there is mud galore!
Slipping across the fields (two steps forward and one slideways) I was delighted to hear the fluty melody of a Skylark as it fluttered above me, a dark shape against the grey sky. As I listened another 2 raised themselves up and began to add more tunes. Glorious.
As I looked up however to watch these Skylarks, I stepped ankle deep into a puddle, a loud splash as I discovered my boots are not waterproof from the top!
Along the Drove a Blackbird was singing gustily, bursts of loud song, then stopping, while perched on the top of the Hawthorn was a Dunnock.
Across the lush field, a scattering of white flowers are emerging, a couple of Ox-eye Daisies and a few of the smaller common Daisies.
With the large amount of water around, many of the old quarry dips are full of water, and our various ponds have topped up, while in the Warren a new pond has developed completely.
A Roe Deer trotted across the path leaving muddy slots in the track. As it continued ahead of me, its large white fluffy rump was easily spotted.
Also in the mud traces of activity of our Badgers, the footprints showing off their five nails, one reason why they can be often be heard ‘clipping’ when they are walking on a hard surface.
Crawling up the stem of Lords & Ladies was the unmistakable Bloody-nosed Beetle, a slightly blue-purple tinge especially noticeable on its joints.
Returning to the centre, the sun was starting to break through the thick cloud cover, a couple of patches of blue sky.