A quite glorious sunrise, with a deep pink sky and the fluffy clouds also picking up this colour.
A Chaffinch was singing loudly as it stood on top of the, now leafed, Hazel, the ending trill sounding to me like a speeding cricket fast bowler! Nearby perched in the still bare Sycamore another male Chaffinch, this one producing its ‘whhhit’ call.
Swooping overhead a Swallow, its back dark blue in colour, while hovering above was a Kestrel.
The meadows a fantastic carpet of yellow Cowslips, interspersed by the pale pink Early Purple Orchids.
While showing on the downland some patches of bright blue Chalk Milkwort, the occasional, yellow of Horseshoe Vetch and Bird’s-foot Trefoil and the dark pink of Common Vetch.
The round heads of Salad Burnet, some with the flowering tassels now vying with the Early Spider Orchids to get noticed.
The woodlands a riot of different greens as the leaves are bursting open, but with fewer leaves of the trees at present some are showing particularly well including the vividness of Beech, softness of Hazel and yellow of Poplar – which you can also smell. – Why not do the Truly Treemendous Tree Trail to find out more? Available from the shop.
A Chiffchaff calling and a Jay squawking added to the yaflle of the Green Woodpecker, the deep croak of a Raven and the coo of the Wood Pigeons as I walked along our wooded section of coast path.
Still some Daffodils, Bluebells, Three-cornered Leek and Lesser Celandine to be enjoyed as well as a patch of Polyanthers.
The moth trap over the last two nights, despite the cold wind has continued to produce new species for the year including Knotgrass, Chestnut, Powdered Quaker and Camomile Shark, as well as Common Quaker, Twin-spot Quaker, Brimstone, Hebrew Character, Early Grey and March Moth.