A proper spring morning – after a night of chucking down with rain, a morning of blue sky and bright sunshine, quickly covered by another wave of grey cloud! Wellies, shoes, coats, jackets – who knows!
Out on the downs, spring is working its magic. The grassland, which has been so drab and brown for the last few months is studded here and there with the first few Hairy Violets – an intense purple-blue. Many more will follow soon until the downs are swathed in colour.
On the short turf, the lovely little leaves of Common Mouse Ear can be found – their edges lined with downy white hairs, which give the plant its name. Lots of the bright green, intricate leaves of Yarrow are also starting to appear, along with the rosette leaves of Early Spider Orchid.
Gorse bushes blaze a brilliant yellow, filling the air with a coconut scent as the sun warms the flowers, with a Stonechat perched near the top of a bush in the Gully. Blackthorn scrub is covered with white flower buds (and just a few flowers), while the intense green leaves of Hawthorn are also starting to appear.
A Song Thrush ‘sings his song twice over’ from the top of an Elder, with the songs and calls of Wrens, Blackbirds, Blue and Great Tit also heard. A Tawny Owl calls sleepily away in the distance, along with the sharp ‘jacks’ of Jackdaws, the ‘cronk’ of a Raven and screeches of a Jay.
High above the meadows, at least 4 different Skylarks heard in song – one fluttering up above South Field, with Long-tailed Tits bustling along a hedgerow nearby. The first few Cowslips are appearing, though a few weeks to go before they start to carpet the meadows.
On the patio outside as I write, a Pied Wagtail struts, in smart black and white plumage, as a pair of Great Tits check out the nesting potential of a Bollard and Blue Tits explore our camera box.
Adders are sunbathing at Tilly Whim, with a Wall Lizard basking on the walls of the Castle.