This morning I floated close to the learning centre in anticipation of a long awaited timber delivery. Since May I have been try to obtain oak gate posts, in particular we can now proceed with Jill Townsend’s memorial gate to her husband. We at least received English Oak rather than French, from a Devon sawmill
Robins were most prolific such that at one point on the Wares I heard 3-4 responding in succession to each other’s calls. Atop relatively bare Sycamore in reservoir copse I spied three Siskin whilst a Jay flew over Long Meadow. Was this the same one I later saw leaving the down-land for the Small Copse or another on an acorn forage / storage run? Back at the Reservoir Copse I heard tapping perhaps a Woodpecker, Nuthatch or Tree Creeper?
This morning was calm, still with high clouds not having a significant impact upon the rising sun. Patches of frost sat at select car park edges even on the south facing side of small copse. Elsewhere, dew covered the herb layer. I caught glimpses of Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Blue Tits, Great Tits and even a Chaffinch. I suspected it were Linnets that flew overhead whilst I definitely had a flock of 10 Starlings which were later follow by another pair. Blackbirds were performing their usual investigations from the undergrowth, however, I was startled by a female Blackbird that emerged then perched atop Blackthorn. Her journey through the treacherous thorns baffled me. She then performed her “clucking” as did her stable mates.
In the distance I saw a tractor topping in fields 3/3A and heard Green Woodpeckers and cattle out of sight. On the Wares Bristly Ox Tongue flowers persisted as did the bright red fruit of Stinking Iris. A Dunnock perched upon scrub within the Wares whilst two Carrrion Crow took up sentry on top of two adjacent telegraph poles.