No space to rhyme today my friends I’ve much too much to say
I’ll save my rhymes for leaner times when I’ve less to convey
The park was pleasantly calm this morning as I made my way up through the Woodlands, the wind barely stirring the branches of the surrounding trees. The Snowdrops were still not yet in flower but I did spot a few Dogs Vomit Slime Moulds which were almost as good. The usual mixed chorus of Blackbirds and Robins filtered down from the canopy, occasionally cut by the Yaffle of a Green Woodpecker or screech of a Jay.
Beside the Learning Centre my ears then eyes were drawn to an obnoxious chirping sound, a House Sparrow nestling on a Willow tree. In the adjacent wildlife area a couple of Chaffinches and Bullfinches were alighting, both looking and sounding much nicer.
Heading to Large Copse I spied a large structure out to sea towards Poole and Bournemouth that looked rather like a small oil rig. Within the small patch of trees I spied two Goldcrests, one clambering over a stem of Privet and the other on a Black Pine. With the stillness of the morning I was finally able to properly listen to their delicate calls. Another one for the memory banks.
Advancing past a patch of emerging Velvet Shank I headed to the Drove, a group of Goldfinches tinkling to my right. Continuing to our Hereford Cattle I noted that they were mooing a lot, though nothing seemed to be the matter. A Buzzard was perched on a distant Elder and I admired its motionless figure through my binoculars.
High on the downs I turned back for a moment and made eye contact with a Roe Deer a little distance away. We stared at each other for a little while until I got distracted by a Wren to its left. We then decided to go our separate ways, with it flashing its white rump in goodbye.
I had hoped to spot my first Adder of the year this morning since it was prime basking weather but they were still not out when I got to the Tilly Whim Caves, though I’m confident they will be later. Marching up the Diagonal Path I was treated to an even rare sight, the orange form of a Fox padding along the bottom of the Goat Plot. A rare thing indeed and worth a little rough travel.