Deep within the tangled scrub
A hidden kingdom lies awaiting
Moss and mushroom, briar and scrub
These hidden worlds are captivating
I made my approach to the park through the Woodland this morning, the early morning twilight only just bright enough to distinguish colour. I had to rely on my ears to tell me what was about, with the blurry shadows of birds in the branches too indistinct to identify by sight. The dawn chorus was mostly composed of Blackbirds, with backing vocals from Robins and a few Wrens. I was delighted to hear the unmistakable squeaky wheelbarrow song of the Great Tit, the first time I’ve heard it in quite a while and a most pleasant start to the year.
I made a b-line for the Small Copse next and after nosing around amongst the leaf litter stumbled across a few more Velvet Shank, just emerging despite the chilly weather. A Stonechat called from the branches of a nearby Hawthorn as I investigated further, but I didn’t discover anything else of note.
In Saxon Field I took a stroll round a small patch of Gorse, noting the remains of a few Field Mushrooms at its base. Apart from this and a few Magpies, the area did not seem that lively so I decided to have another attempt at off-roading round the Gulley. With my trusty clipboard as a shield, I managed to avoid any major injuries, though things seemed to be quiet there too. I did discover another nice patch of fungi, which seemed to strongly resemble Sulphur Tuft, but it’s rather late in the year to be seeing them. I’ll try to get some external confirmation on that one.
Further down the gulley and out of the tangle of the undergrowth I had a little more luck, with a pair of Pied Wagtails briefly visible as they made short hopping flights between branches. The harsh screech of a Jay cut through the stillness, and though I scanned the area for several more minutes, it seemed that all the birds had flown the nest.
Heading up over to the cliffs a number of Greater Black Backed Gulls were riding the stiff breeze up above. A light rain shower started, at which point I decided that discretion was the better part of valour, and I returned to the Learning Centre via the diagonal path.