There once was a wood full of Ransoms
Who’s flowers were small white and handsome
But when June came around
They were dead on the ground
And in two years they were replaced by their grandsons
The first thing that caught my eye this morning was a rustling patch of nettles opposite the bird hide. A hidden Rabbit perhaps. I moved closer to investigate but I didn’t manage to find out for sure what was moving beneath them. Overhead, as Swift flew across a clear blue sky. Much less well camouflaged. Across the car park, Chaffinches and House Sparrows were flitting between trees, and a few Scarlet Pimpernel flowers decorated the kerbs.
I headed for the woodlands to escape the intensifying heat of the morning. Crossing Long Meadow, I admired the seas of Pale Flax who all seemed to have the opposite idea, their flowers pointed square at the sun.
The cool of the woods was a pleasant relief, with one of the logs lining the path supporting a small mushroom colony. By the shape I would guess they were Chanterelles, but they were white, not yellow. I’ll keep an eye on them. A large green dragonfly thrummed past my head, likely a Southern Hawker and Blackbird song rang out from the high branches above. Whole swaths of the forest floor were being laid bare as our Ransoms are dying off en-masse. They will rise again.
Walking back to the castle a flash of colourful wings ahead signalled the presence of a Jay. A well decorated bird, but I’ve always thought they look a little bit goofy. A passer-by reported seeing a Fox creeping through a gulley by the cliffs, always nice to hear about them roaming wild rather than going through people’s bins.
The path down to the cliffs was resplendent with white Mock Orange flowers. As I admired them a bright scarlet Cardinal Beetle landed on the wall beside me. Bright red means poisonous, don’t eat them.
Wild Carrot and Sea Campion lined the Clifftops, with Shags, Gannets, Fulmars and Rock Doves all to be seen about their business, each one with a distinct style of flight. I could have watched them for hours.