Across the meadows the glorious sound of a Skylark accompanies my walk. Gazing upwards, it takes a while to spot the small brown speck against the blue sky, the wonderful fluty song filling the air, alongside another couple also in full voice.
Along one of the scar banks from the old limestone quarries is a delightful patch of Dog Violets, a deep purple colour on dark green leaves, while the delicate pale yellow of Primroses adds more delight.
The long leaves of Bluebells and Lord and Ladies also showing, while above in the hedgerow some of the leaves of Elder and Hawthorn are beginning to emerge while the buds of Blackthorn are preparing to burst forth.
To the downland where Stonechats were ‘chatting’, these birds often perched on the top of the Gorse or on the fenceposts to get a better vantage point. The dark brown or black heads of the male, contrasting with the orange chest and white collar making them very easy to recognise.
The ground is starting to show that spring is really on the way as the basal rosettes of our early Orchids are becoming more obvious, whilst looking at these the tiny white flowers of Common Whitlow Grass were spotted, as were those of Hairy Bittercress and near the coast the Early Scurvy Grass.
From the scrub a Linnet appeared and Meadow Pipits flitted up from amongst the rough patches of grass. Dunnock and Robin sang loudly as I continued my patrol back towards the top of the hill.
Scuttling across the tarmac, a Woodlouse, this small crustacean required me to lie prostrate on the ground to photograph in the hope of identifying it, bizarrely I had to repeat this same operation a few yards later for another woodlouse species!
Overhead a Peregrine Falcon glided, a single flap and it disappeared at speed. Looking down a patch of blue Grape Hyacinth in full bloom.