The grass flower heads presented a bounty of seeds to the lightest of breezes. Again, a Swallow perched on the learning centre’s aerial. A Robin explored the picnic benches whilst the sun cast my shadow. In the garden a Goldfinch rested within an Ash tree whilst a Blue Tit flitted between Bramble cover. As a Blackbird sang there was the feint rumble of an aircraft passing overhead. Numbers of Small Blue were active beside a grassy path where Horseshoe Vetch bloomed. Nearby with conjoined pairs of leaves point up the stem was Meadow Vetchling in flower. Latter I would see another conjoined leaf, although not in flower, of my favourite – Yellow Wort. A Speckled Wood was in flight before I notice the leaves of Meadow Sweet near the walling centre.
Near the demonstration quarr it was still only bottle brush leaf whorls of Common Toadflax. From here I saw and heard the Guillemots near the gully mouth. Spikes of Dock flowers stood tall near the road edge. A male Stonechat broadcast his namesake vocals nearby whilst there was the occasional Jackdaw “cough”. Silently, a Green Woodpecker crossed the gully to a background of Skylark and Chiff Chaff vocals.
I ascended the coastal ridge amongst the downland as a Magpie watched from above. It was here that Meadow Browns appeared. Black Medic displayed its round yellow “pom-pom” like flowers and trio of clover type leaves. Amongst Hawthorn blossom a Whitethroat explored.
I joined the Hereford cattle in field 3 where together we gazed upon the grazed and un-grazed coastal slopes. The electric fence was in place to release them into 6a, but a battery was needed for the fence line. It was a delight to hear a Yellow Hammer calling from just below the ridge. Swarms of flies flew up as I passed fresh cowpats in the shade.
In Hogget’s Mead the Yellow Rattle bloomed, whilst in Johnston Meadow Dyer’s Greenweed (resembling miniature yellow flowered Broom) whilst it was the pink flowers of Sainfoin in Centenary Meadow. To finish a Roe Deer was visible amongst the flowers in Ox Eye Meadow. What a happy Monday!