What a beautifully sunny day!! A little chilly around the edges at a high of 10.5, compared to last year’s barmy 20.8. Entering the park, the calm sound of a cooing Wood Pigeon called out, while above Skylarks sang at top tune.
Buddleia is now in full leaf and its flowers are starting to turn a beautiful shade of purple. Bluebells line the edge of the east west drove where the recent hedge-laying is now in blossom and leaf. The recent weather has been very strange indeed, thinking about how further up north snow still covers the ground and here in the south beautiful white Blackthorn Blossom encases the boundaries of our meadows.
Orchids are still slowly flowering, Early Spider, Early Purple and Green-winged. The first day of our Orchid surveys start this week, there are still spaces over the next few weeks so do get in contact if you’d like to take part, full training is given, you just need a good eye.
Over-looking the old tip on the furthest north west corner of the Country Park the white rump of a Roe Deer stood out, shining in the morning sun. A Chaffinch sang out from a lonely tall Sycamore, a Stonechat sang from a Hawthorn and a Chiffchaff sang from a Holm Oak, all beautiful and tuneful for this sunny morning.
Two Meadow Pipits moved slowly through the grass, Blue tits moved around a scrub patch and a Dunnock sang from a Bramble patch. A Wren shot past low to the ground and Long-tailed Tits moved about an Ash tree. I heard an unusual scratchy sound, watching and listening I located the bird to find it be a Whitethroat, a very exciting spot for the morning.