It’s so nice to feel the suns warmth, and I think park’s flora feels the same. With the days drawing out (an increase of towards two hours extra daylight since December) dormant bulbs, seeds, and buds are awakened. Daffodils are beginning to bloom, Snowdrops in flower, and the Crocuses now going over.
Entire swathes of Wild Arum, Creeping Comfrey, and Celandine, have carpeted the woodland. Whilst fresh leaves of Ramsons sprout up through the leaf litter and will soon fill the air with their garlic scent. These plants all get ahead of the shade that follows the tree canopy filling with leaves. Starting with Elder; one of the first deciduous trees to come into leaf.
Red-tailed Bumblebee queens have began to emerge, joining that of the Buff and White-tailed Bumblebees that arise in February. Across muddy gateways through the meadows, little Mining Bee mounds have began to appear, where the mud has began to dry, and they dig their nesting holes in the soft earth.
Their timing coincides with the early spring blooms, enabling them to rebuild their depleted fat reserves by feeding on nectar and pollen. If I were a bee, I’d probably be drawn to the beautiful Cherry Plum blossom by the Lighthouse Road gate, or clusters of Viburnum white flowers which adorn the Entrance Road.
March marks the start of the bird nesting season, and bird song is heard all around the park. Just by the car parks, a Cirl Bunting is spotted, alongside Great Tits, Blue Tits, Chaffinch, and Robins. In the meadows, the Skylark song fills the air. And on the cliffs, Guillemots, Razorbills, Herring Gulls, Shags, Greater Black-backed Gulls, and Fulmars all rekindle bonds with their partners once again.