Both Ash and Sycamore remained behind other trees with leaf cover. In South Field a male Blackbird crept through the meadow towards Cowslips. It was a delight not only to discover Hay Rattle leaves but unopened pale-yellow buds as well. Creeping Buttercup and Pale Flax flowers were found also. A Chiff Chaff call was easily recognised.At Hay-rake quarr we found Salad Burnet heads holding stamens. Amy reflexed their resembling plantain flower heads. Both Birds-foot Trefoil and Horseshoe Vetch flowers were seen in different parts of the quarr scrape. Amy spotted a Blackcap in a bare Hawthorn crown. Amy’s first 2026 Swallow flew by, later another swept over the gully topography. Early Spider, Early Purple and Green Winged (veined to me) Orchids were all enjoyed. Elderflowers were just showing above dense Bramble. We smelt the scent of Wild Carrot leaves.
Beside the demo quarr, Cow Parsley showed white blooms. A solo Jackdaw produced “dog toy” peeps. Offshore a Gannet flew west. Hamish report seeing two Whimbrel and his first 2026 Swift. In the distant a web was noted in the only one third leaf cover of a Hawthorn. It hosted Brown Tailed Moth caterpillars. A Meadow Pipit trio flew by, whilst both Stonechat and Whitethroat were heard before eventually being seen. Near the measured mile markers, a what at first looked like a Black Bee Fly that visited Gorse perhaps was a Carpenter Bee.
A Poem freshly written by from Amy Hayhurst:
A blackbird moves across South Field
little yellow flowers pucker the grass
dogwood, field maple, hawthorn in the hedges
on to the bare clay and earth of the old quarr
we see rare orchids, early purple, early spider
chalk milkwort and horseshoe vetch
bulbous buttercups, the champagne fizz
of pollen on the salad burnett
we hear a chiff chaff in the hawthorn
a skylark is heard and then spotted on the wing
hovering above its dominion
we are careful where we stand
robin, black cap, white throat, jackdaw
wood sage and toad flax spreading
quietly around the paths, we walk
the curved track down to a stony outcrop
above the gully where the winterborn
finds its outlet, past denser hedges, stubborn trees
scrub and field, what looks like bare ground is
a kind of paradise, where insects may bask
at ground level there is far more than just grass
two swallows fly up-gully and we follow them
back the steep, quick way, to look up finally
at the hazy blue of a near-cloudless day