It was a chill start although the sun was soon out beaming golden rays causing a light dew, in places, to twinkle. It was enough to get a Buff Tailed Bumble Bee to visit the fluffy male catkins of Goat Willow. Now a regular, the Hen Pheasant harvested seed that had fallen to the ground from the bird feeders. A Magpie simply observed whilst Blue Tits, Great Tits and a Dunnock raced about. Today I was only to hear a Green Woodpecker, but I smiled at nature’s progress and an increased leaf cover had emerged to begin photosynthesis. A Field Maple had many buds open and in parts of Saxon Field, where the sun reached, both Blackberry and Honeysuckle had good cover. Traversing South Field, Blackthorn blossomed whilst Hawthorn held leaves. Beside the centre the emerging from Ash buds I saw what looked rather like Broccoli heads! Whilst the sun cast my shadow, that created an image beyond my true height, a feint Moon was a Waning Gibbous. Still I only found Early Spider Orchid buds in Saxon whilst a Jay explored the western hedgerow. Either the same Jay, or another, accompanied me as I explored the north facing side of the field. Two Skylarks were spotted whilst the vocals of many more were heard.
Both Common Daisy and Cowslip decorated Ox Eye Meadow. Near the Upper Gully I heard the cries of a Peregrine Falcon and a Cock Pheasant. In a thorny crown perched a Stonechat pair. Upon the side of an Ant Hill it was a delight to see some Chalk Milkwort flowers. Another male Stonechat was observed in the gully whilst a Cranefly clumsily passed over the rock exposure. Two Ravens flew separately westwards past the cliff tops each carrying what might have been hunks of crusty bread. Otherwise the cliff face was the domain of Jackdaws and Herring Gulls. No Guillemots were seen although one was heard. Ascending the diagonal path, a Carrion Crow passed overhead as it carried several twigs in its beak. Verbal ping pong was played by a pair of Greenfinches either side of the path. Yesterday I had seen a Bee Fly collecting nectar (and pollen) from Blackthorn Blossom.