An alert Green Woodpecker clocked me as I sat down in the Hide this morning. It’s red-capped head jerked sideways before taking flight low to the ground, revealing the sunny yellow feathers on it’s back.
Blossoms of Hawthorn adorn the hedgerow; with chirpy Blue Tits, Great Tits, and Chaffinches sitting amongst them. Much of the hedge is now finally in leaf, following the slow cold start to the year. The only exception is a Buddleia, whose bare branches stand out against the green surroundings. On the highest branch, the bright red chest of a male Bullfinch commands an audience as it bellows out its song.
The melodies of a charm of Goldfinch can be heard singing from a nearby Ash Tree out of sight. Two of them break away from the group and flutter down to the edge of a pond for a quick drink. Cheery pockets of Ox-eye Daisies and Horseshoe Vetch surround the pond, adding a welcome splash of colour against the grasses and where the Cowslips have faded.
I decide to head towards the pond for a closer look. As I reach the waters edge, I startle a few Smooth Newts and Palmate Newts. They momentarily hang still in the water again, floating as if weightless in space, before shimmying further away amongst the algae.
A few Pond-skaters dance between the Lilies; where the blossoming flower-heads are ripe to burst open. One of them skates right over the top of a very curious sight - a large Pond Snail traversing across the under-side of the water’s surface. It hangs upside, whilst ‘crawling’ across as if it were attached to a window.
Perched above the observatory, a single Swallow watches over the pond; possibly eyeing the opportunity for a drink, or maybe to snack on one of the flies buzzing around my head. In any case, the bird decides against it and hops into its characteristic aerobatic flight, disappearing behind the fence.