After a bit of rain and wind yesterday afternoon this morning is overcast and dry. As I put my shoes on and walk away from the car, a Collard Dove can be heard singing whilst a Pheasant sounds spooked close by. I head towards the Pleasure Ground Woodlands, where a Crow, Great Tits and Jackdaws are seen and spotted.
Onto the Play trail, a Robin can be heard singing above me while Stinking Iris is prominent on the ground. A Wren can also be heard as Blue Tits call and towards the cliffs a Cormorant is seen in flight. Wood Pigeons are spotted above the Holm Oaks and Wild Privet is past. Here I am looking at any of the muddy patches on the trail and it is clear to see that there are many areas along the Play trail that have become really muddy with all the winter rain.
Leaving the play trail, I check on the Dead Hedge around the Chimes, many stakes needing to be replaced here. Walking on, I hear plenty of Robins singing away, as well as a Chaffinch, and Blue Tits calling. Taking the woodchip path, Lords and Ladies are present as a Firecrest sings away with a Wren in the near distance. Japanese Spindel, Garden Privet, Bamboo, the beautiful large Veteran Beech, Monetary Cypress, Holly, Ramsons, Ground Ivy, Harts-tongue Fern, and Daffodils are all observed here.
I walk through the Shed, here a Blue Tit is seen on a picnic bench, Rosemary, lots of Daffodils, as well as Pink and Blue Bluebell like plants called Dutch Hyacinths – which are within the same family as Bluebells but a different species. Leaving the shed I take the road behind the Shed and behind the neighbours – Primroses, a Wren sings, a Grey Squirrel scuttles up a tree, Crows make noise above, as well as the Herring Gulls, Winter Heliotrope dominates, a male Blackbird is spotted in front of me. As I walk towards the patch planted trees, the neighbours to the right of me have a beautiful moss mixed in with Primroses. To the left the saplings of Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Hazel, Dogwood, Elder and Dogrose are present to allow for a new hedgerow here. Further on down past a Coal Tit spotted above me I spot some Spring Sowbread flowers amongst some Cleavers.
I head back to the Learning Centre via Smithfield, Taskers, Large Copse and Skipworth. Within Skipworth I notice the wonderful Hedge lay that has been done to the north, which over time will provide a great habitat for many bird species and invertebrates.