On the approach road the Viburnum flowers were most obvious. I passed under the branches of an Ash which were occupied by four centurions in the form of Carrion Crows. However, the quartet might have followed me for four later perched in tree tops near the “climbers” car park. Blue Tits were evident at the car park margins. A Song Thrush was broadcasting amongst which I interpreted snippets of “Curly Whirly” and “Hurdy Gurdy”.
Opposite the blossoming Cherry Plum on Lighthouse Road was a Blackthorn which was trying to catch up with its relatives’ flowers. I thought it was Box alongside the Thorn which appeared to hold dark buds. A calling Great Tit appeared from the scrub whilst a pair of Grey Squirrels raced across the short grass around the picnic benches. Of course, Common Daisy flowered amongst said grassland.
I ventured into reservoir copse wood through a carpet of predominantly Ivy via one of the well warn bare earth mammal tracks. Despite this no foot prints were seen. A pool of water sat under the leafless canopy. Whilst the trunks of Grey Willow spread out from their root base, the stems of Sycamore and Ash stood tall and straight. Of course, Arum and Stinking Iris leaves broke into the ground cover in places. There was plenty of dead wood in this “non-intervention & access” corner. Over the tumbled down Ivy and Moss cloaked dry stone wall I stepped to access Boys Brigade Meadow just as two Magpie flew in the opposite direction.
Another Song Thrush was broadcasting again near the Small Copse. Later I saw the speckled breasted specimen which sang out from the Elder beside Saxon’s Hay Rake Quarr. I heard and eventually had three Chaffinch sightings. Perches include overhead wires Ash and a Black Pine. Monbreccia leaves grew where light could reach the floor below a branch lifted Holm Oak. Whilst Magpies were squawking from Long Meadow, I noticed that a Hazel showed catkins on the north edge of Smithfield. An unseen Raven croaked overhead. Two tendrils of a Blackberry were joined where leaves appeared to have been rolled and “glued” by an unidentified insect larva. In Saxon Field I saw a Greenfinch in the northern hedgerow along with a trio of yet unidentified Warblers. From the same hedgerow a hidden Wren trilled but a Blue Tit and Blackbirds were more easily seen. The sound of a neighbour’s cockerel and donkey carried over to the park.