Today I clocked Celandine flowers near “Allsort’d” and the pedestrian crossing. A thick dew and dense carpet of grass mowings were about the centre. Plenty of exposed, slippery churned clay soil to avoid. Blackbird alarm calls rang out as I entered Lighthouse field.
Sadly, a long-tailed dog bin bag rustled from a Bramble tendril. Plenty of Wild Chive conical blades decorated the downland. Alternating perpendicular pairs of fresh Sycamore buds were evident. Yellow Charlock flowers out as were Gorse, of course! A few “seed clocks” and one actual yellow Hawkbit flower was noted. Elder showed fresh leaves whilst also hosting Jelly Ear.
Distinctive Chaffinch and soothing Wood Pigeon calls came from the upper gully. A Yellowhammer, briefly seen later shared part of its song. The Magpie duo was out trumped a half dozen seen in distant treetops near California Farm. As I rose up the coastal ridge the obvious large buds of Horse Chestnut were obvious amongst otherwise thorny species. Plenty of Skylark sounds were over the meadows. However, from the dense sward just below the coastal ridge saw one Skylark emerging.
Whilst a solo Goldfinch was within dead Hawthorn branches, a trio shared a bush with a male Stonechat. Soon the calls of another of the later rang out. A wind rippled sea stretched to a misty horizon yet both St. Albans and reclaimed landfill could be seen.
At the Dew Pond, fresh Flag Iris leaves poked out, the surrounding ground saturated. Hidden rapid wing beats were occurring, surely not a dust bath so mating perhaps?
It was a relief to find Jake beside the fresh plumes of bonfire smoke.
A Red Admiral fluttered by just before I read the weather.