The damp air and strong wind was quite refreshing as I started my walk this morning, with lovely aromas of Three-cornered Leak and many different Blossoms. I have been slowly photographing the Blackthorn buds and blossom appearing around the meadow edges, soon the meadows will be lined with a beautiful white edge. Above, Herring Gulls squawked, their silvery-grey wind shining in the morning sun. Recently I learnt the Latin name of the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus), Argentina a Spanish adjective meaning silvery and derived from the Latin argentum ‘silver’.
The sun is warm this morning, with a beautiful blue sky above and to the south, looking north dark clouds move quickly across the sky in the strong wind. When I returned to the centre and recorded the weather the strongest gust was 42mph at 8.15, no wonder it felt so wind on my walk.
Above Taskers Meadow a Great Black-backed Gull was trying to fly towards the sea, battling the income wind, a strange sight as usually they are closer to the sea. Hairy Violets are popping up all over the place now adding a lovely purple to the slowly changing flora.
A few metres away the yellow Gorse flowers wail around and send wafts of sweet coconut in my direction. In small Copse the Holm Oaks are moving madly, swaying around and sounding like waves crashing against the shore. In the hedgerow, Blue-tit, Great-tit and Dunnock can be heard.
Throughout my walk I’m also finding tasks for volunteers, we have lots of exciting opportunities coming up so do get in touch if you or someone you know would like to volunteer with us.
Approaching the back of the meadows the sound of Skylarks came through above the wind, singing from above. I found a protected north facing hollow, where I saw a Chiffchaff and could hear Chaffinch nearby. Walking back a Hawthorn was squeaking and creaking wailing around under the weight of a trunk covered in thick Ivy.