I felt quite a chill in the breeze but the flush of leaves and blossom clearly stated it was spring.
I was fascinated by the variety of emergence in tree leaves and inflorescence. Not only did it vary between species but also location. Where Wild Service Tree grew amongst other cover it only showed flowers, however, in open ground leaves were invested in as well. A Horse Chestnut hand drooping fresh fingers of its palmate leaves. Both planes Field Maple and Sycamore showed leaves and inflorescence with the latter looking similar to a grape vine from certain angles. Interestingly small Elm saplings and suckers showed signs of life as buds began to open whilst the mature stems were still dormant. Most importantly the Elder and Hawthorn in the wildlife garden’s hedge laid last winter looked healthy with fresh leaves.
The aforementioned hedge was visited by a Dunnock but nearby the scratchy calls heard I suspected were that of a Whitethroat. A Wren with its pert tail called as it climbed the caravan terrace rock face. Whilst I had heard a Chiff Chaff about the Centre it was on the aviaries coast path that I caught sight of one as it passed from a Sycamore to a Holm Oak beside a clearing dead Elm. Quietly a Jay crossed the coast path to tree cover where its mate was perched higher up and closer to the sea. Chaffinches and many pairs of Blue Tilts were seen and heard. From Smithfield I saw a Cock Pheasant, Wood Pigeon and Carrion Crow in a neighbour’s meadow with a trio of Magpies nearby. Meanwhile a Buzzard and Green Woodpecker called unseen from somewhere beyond the large copse. Thanks to the cliff camera I counted sixty plus Guillemots in their cave ledge with a good score on the ledge below as well as two separate Fulmars perched up high.
Path side flushes of Stinging Nettles are ready to provide a food source for Red Admiral caterpillars. My search for Ramson in flower was rewarded by a good dozen stems open beside the woodchip path. In the wet corner of Long Meadow there were healthy spotted basal rosettes of Early Purples Orchids. However, to see Orchid flowers spikes I ventured into Smithfield where I had a cluster of 6 flower stems ranging from a couple to six plus inches tall. At the car park margins Ground Ivy was in flower. In the meadows sedges showed flowers too. Watch pout fellow have fever sufferers!