A very grey morning for the patrol with a gentle westerly wind not doing much to dry the ground, which underfoot, especially on the meadows, is very wet, muddy and slip-slidy.
The morning’s wildlife highlight was my first Greater Bloody-nosed Beetle of the year, the slightly green tinged body slowly moving across the stem of a Common Cleavers, its legs moving like a clock-work toy.
From around the buildings came the laughing ‘yaffle’ of a Green Woodpecker, the call giving its position away allowing me to watch it as it landed amongst the Yellow Meadow Ant hills, the yellow rump, green body and red moustache easy to see.
A few flowers have now emerged including the bright yellow heads of Daffodils, while scattered across the short green turf are some Daisies. All over the National Nature Reserve, a small smattering of Gorse has been in flower all year, providing bursts of sun yellow, especially welcome on damp grey mornings like today.
From amongst the thick clumps of Hawthorn, Blackthorn and Wild Clematis scrub came the sounds of a Great Tit, the song a little squeaky but easily recognisable.
Perched on the top of a patch of Bramble was a Chaffinch, the white wing flash drawing my attention to it and away from the red breasted Robin I had been admiring previously.
Overhead a Wood Pigeon jinked and a Kestrel hovered while the deep pitched loud ‘cronk’ of a Raven was heard coming from the woodland.
The Hereford Cattle are now on the furthest fields of the Park, munching their way through last year’s growth, hopefully meaning less needs to be cut by the Rangers and Volunteers. An attempt to count them all was ruined by their ability to hide in the scrub, and despite their size and chestnut brown and white colouring they are only to be detected by the movement of the bushes!