Crazy Daisy, let’s make a chain
Daffy Dill, come brighten up the lane
Dandy Lion, help me tell the time
Prim little Rose, don’t you look fine?
Stinking Iris, you’re so misunderstood
Blue Blue Bell, walk with me in the wood
A glorious morning today the sunshine and crisp air giving me strong spring vibes. The paths have even dried out a bit too. I set out across the Car Park past the dappled white carpet of Daises, with a few Dandelions mixed in for good measure. House Sparrows cheeped in the background, along with Dunnocks and the odd Goldfinch.
I headed straight for the Diagonal Path in search of a Mystery Fungus I had spotted a few days earlier. Alas, I couldn’t find it. I did pass a few Daffodils and Bluebells on my brief foray through the woods and the Diagonal path itself was lined with flowers as well. Gorse was in full bloom as usual, with a nice patch of Primrose growing beside a Stinking Iris.
The Guillemots had a good presence on the ledge. I counted somewhere between 70 and 80. None were out on the water though, perhaps the choppiness was putting them off? 1 Adder basked above the Tilly Whim Caves entrance, and opposite I was treated to a wonderful parachuting display by a Rock Pipit, drifting to land on top of the George Burt carved stone. Look round and read great nature’s open book indeed.
On the Lighthouse Green I struck up a conversation with a friendly birdwatcher who had made a few good sightings. Blackcaps, Sandwich Terns and Manx Shearwaters are all to be seen today. When I reached the top of Lighthouse Slope I was treated to an aria by a distant Skylark, hovering high above Brian Johnson Meadow.
I finished my circuit with a quick orchid hunt. Scouring a few hotspots I came across 3 or 4 Early Purple Orchids in flower, with plenty more rosettes getting ready to bloom. Further searching revealed a single Early Spider Orchid, the unmistakable “abdomen” formation well developed. The plant isn’t a mimic like the Bee Orchid, it just happens to look like a spider’s bottom. Truly, Mother Nature moves in mysterious ways.