As yesterday’s working day was prolonged dealing with “relocated” Herford cattle I checked on the livestock in Saxon Field.
As I walked across South Field I heard a Blackcap, observed the Small Copse near full canopy cover, just awaiting Sycamore and Ash to complete leaf growth. Clouds of Cowslips and a peppering of slight Yellow Rattle and Horseshoe vetch added variety to the sward. On the boundary between Saxon and South Field the former Badger latrine appeared out of service and in fact had vibrant grass cover.
As I reached Saxon Field quarr I found Birds foot Trefoil upon the thin, stone y ground. Today they were amongst the Cowslip and Early Purple and fading Early Spider Orchids. I recalled how Kingcombe Meadows had no choice but to have cattle grazing amongst the flower meadows as they got to the point where they had poor quality grassland left! Our second herd were safely within the electric fence line below the ridge in the field one’s coastal down-land slope. Tomorrows work party will see the movement of a water tough and electric fence line so the cattle can be penned into scrub and Tor grass areas. One Cow had three calves huddled about her by the “Hay rake Quarr”. These small calves had been able to pass between to post and rail fencing at Small Copse, hence, the “obtrusive” temporary orange netting in place as a deterrent!
Upon the down land wares I found an egg like pod which due to its fleshy nature and rounded ends must have been a moth cocoon (to be identified).
Here despite thinner soils the Yellow Rattle was far more vibrant and robust. Eyebright was evident however, so to was spread of Bracken encroaching into the grassland from the scrub margin.
Plenty of bird song and calls rang out from the gully scrub but were harder to identify other than Blackbird, Chaffinch, Robin and Whitethroat which was seen! One Gannet was seen off shore.
Upon Lighthouse Greens thin soils I was delighted to see my first Early English Gentian flowers of 2017. Not all of them had put effort into opening due to the orientation of the sun. A second Early English Gentian clump (new to me) was discovered on the stone remains of a dry stone walls footing which traversed up the westward facing slope near the gully mouth.