This morning’s patrol began at Panorama Road to include a cattle check. Unfortunately, the Hereford Cattle had gotten onto the former landfill site which had meant to be the domain of the Sheep only. Whilst the Sheep instantly rallied around and followed me, it was Cows I needed to move! Eventually, I managed to herd the Cows off the old landfill, however, they soon returned with more animals than before. Unfortunately, they escaped through a weak piece of dry-stone wall which had been hidden by scrub. One of us Ranger will need to create a temporary barrier today. The cattle should have access to three of the “Newland” fields, but we want the lighter animals only on the landfill, plus the Old Land fill fence line is likely to keep only keep Sheep in! The cattle have certainly done their work in Jack Baiss.
I was glad to see the cattle had not munched a flush of Primrose flowers in the “Quarry Field”. I encountered a Roe Deer Buck which I had seen in a similar spot yesterday. It wore velvet covering upon its antlers. I believed this was the same animal the Ben photographed elsewhere on site this week. A Pheasant cock called out of view, whilst a dozen Starlings came down from a Sycamore beside California Farm. Both Chaffinches a Great Tits called from the scrub.
In field one two Magpies flew parallel but at opposite side of the field, only the nearest one was heard calling. Upon the western boundary a Buzzard again perched with an Elder beside the dry-stone wall. Skylarks sang out above the meadows. And a pair of Ravens silently flew west. The later birds flew low over the grassland rising upon the pass over the hedgerow. I saw several three (not the lucky four!) leaved Clovers in Eight Acres. A flush of vibrant grass growth grown in a crescent shape suggest to me the past of future site of a Fairy Ring Fungi colony.
Just before I stepped into Saxon Field a Green Woodpecker flew up from the ground. I was to hear its calls whilst I discovered Violets in flower at Hay Rake Quarry. Nearby a very tall Bramble tendril protruding above a dense Blackthorn clump wore what looked like Pin Cushion Gall.