Immediately outside the Centre a trio of Goldfinches had a “discussion” in a Sycamore.
Yesterday in the rain we worked to set up electric fencing and water troughs within Tor Grass and Blackthorn scrub areas of Saxon Field. Barbed wire has been employed around the small copse due to Herford calves having squeezed through post and rail fencing. The cattle had broken through the electric fence due to somebody having not understood the principle of short circuits! I was concerned that I had left a water trough on with a broken ball cock but luckily I did not discover a pond!
With ponds in mind I checked in on ours in Johnston Meadow, however, it was a puddle only one metre square! Nevertheless Flag Iris and Lady Smock / Cuckoo Pint were in flower. The Water mint gave off its sweet scent as it was crushed underfoot but Common Reed was encroaching into the wetland. This exploration led to my getting wet knees due to the dew on the grass!
Our Meadows are looking fantastic with a few Ox Eye Daisies now in flower. Some extremely robust and vigorous Orchid flower spikes and basal rosettes I expect to open as Common Spotted Orchid.
Butterflies were present both on the drove and near the small copse. Amongst them were a Painted Lady, Speckled Wood and several Small Blue.
In eight acres my eye was drawn towards the former land fill site where I could see grassland, scrub and hay bales. However, the sound of a reversing quarry excavator brought back memories of the unsightly Herring Gull infested waste tip! I reflected on how nature claims. Within eight acres there were circles of lush grass growth which looked possible to be associated with the fungi Fairy Rings!
I made out some six individual Skylarks and only two Swallow, singing in the sky.