Everything seemed wide awake as I entered the National Nature Reserve, even though I felt half asleep today. A Blackbird flew down in front of me to collect a long Earth Worm, from the footpath, sucking it out of the bare earth and flying off into the Bramble lined hedgerow.
A Grey Squirrel was scurrying along the top of a Dry-Stone Wall, its month full of acorns. Goldfinches twittered as they flew overhead, landing in a nearby Holm Oak, behind me Poplars sway gracefully in the wind and a gentle trickle of water can be heard from a nearby winterbourne.
One of my favourite sounds at the moment; a Song Thrush was singing its beautiful repetitive tune from high up in an Ash tree, looking up I admired its speckled belly and pointed beak. Blue-tits sang from a Birch tree and Great-tits were heard from within the hedge-line.
I spent a great deal of my morning patrol photographing Lichen and Moss, I love the intricate patterns, textures and shades of this wonderful often overlooked species. Growing in small patches or thick clumps, adorning the bare leafless trees, some of them if you squint your eyes look like tiny stars. I’m not even going to pretend I can identify them, but I will post some photos on Facebook so anyone who does know can maybe give me a hand.
Along the base of the hedgerow Greater Periwinkle added a splash of purple to the hue of green, yellow and brown. A Robin sang from an overhanging Blackthorn branch, where the Slow fruits have now shrivelled up.
As I sloshed my way out of South Barn path and into the North end of Saxon field, I spotted a Fox skulking around the bottom of a scrub patch, a Green Woodpecker flew noisily up and over to the next field while a Robin made it’s presents known from the top of a Hawthorn tree.
A Tree creeper was also seen this morning creeping up a Holm Oak in the woodland.