22nd March - A Stick, A Stone, It's The End of The Road

As was to be expected a change in the weather with the temperature falling this week, but there has also been sunshine so it has not been all bad news.  With the lighter evenings and the fact that it was sunny Helen and I have been out walking around the patch in the late afternoon.  On Tuesday we had the dog along, and we navigated Telegraph and Alton Lne.  The Rookery in Alton Lane is now in full swing and it looks like there are eggs being brooded as the bird not brooding can be seen sitting alongside the nests.

Today we walked around Swelling Hill, and down to Court Lane and then back up Brislands.  The fields have been all seed drilled and apart from a lone Rook the fields are very quiet.  As was the pond with no sign of the Mallard pair, or the Moorhens.  

We walked down the hill, and on reaching the gardens at the bottom were greeted with the sight of blossom being lit up by the evening sunshine.

The sun was a challenge as we headed west, but it was hard to complain as over the last few weeks of the winter it has been very much in short supply.  Where we were directly out of the sun it would catch the sides of the trees and provide a golden edging to the branches which contrasted with the darkness of the hedge itself.

Turning up Court Lane from Swelling Hill we came out of the sunlight, and were able to enjoy the scenery a bit more.  The expected Buzzard was not in its expected tree, but instead we were treated to a superb male Yellowhammer, the setting sun turning him a little more golden as he sang about his bread and cheese.

From Court Lane we headed up Brislands with the sun behind us, and Old Down Wood ahead of us lit up in the sunshine.

The cattle watched us as we passed the barns, and a little way on I noticed a lump on one of the stacks of hay that remained after the majority had been used as feed for the winter.

The lump turned out to be a Red-legged Partridge enjoying the final throws of the sunshine.

As the lane steepened we entered the dark of the enclosed hedges, but as we reached the top the last rays of sunshine were just still getting through.  These were lighting up the trees on the west side of the path that would lead into Old Down Wood.  

At last the path is returning to the way it looked before all the forestry work took place, and the track and surrounds were devastated by the heavy machinery.  Hopefully this summer it will be lined with Cow Parsley and Foxgloves just like it always has been.

Nothing spectacular today, just the chance to get out into the fresh air and to enjoy the end of the day in some beautiful countryside.