13th - 18th April Week Four - Your Heart Fits Me Like a Glove

The Bluebells were the highlight of the week, glorious colours in some wonderful weather

Week four of the government lockdown, and at the start the week the weather changed, going from Easter Sunday temperatures of up to 25 degrees to waking up on Easter Monday with overcast conditions and a fresh north easterly wind which meant during  the day temperatures struggled to reach 10 degrees an amazing change.  By midday though the clouds had burnt off and the sun and clear blue skies returned which meant if you could find a sheltered spot the sunshine was nice and warm

Faced with one of the strangest Easter Mondays I could ever ecall Helen and I decided to take a different wal, heading towards Weathermore Lane and then through Lords Wood out though Newtown Farm and along the Lye Way Bridleway to Old Down Wood.  I haven't been this way for some time so was interested to see what it was like.

Weathermore Lane was dry but the trees protected us from the very keen northerly wind, in places where the cover was not there it was cold.  There was very little bird life about the woods were almost quiet.  Coming down the lane a Wren sang from the top of a hedge, it seems nothing stops these little birds.

Reaching Brightstone Lane we stopped for a cyclist and above a Swallow, the first of the year settled on the the overhead wire, 

It was then joined by two others and they sat on the wires above our heads.

We set off through Lords Wood, immediately seeing a difference.  The one problem with a lovely wood had been a very wet footpath.  This has now been cured and a nice gravel path winds through the wood making the walk very pleasant, no birds though.

From the wood the walk goes up the old Kitwood lane, and bridleway through a tunnel of Havel trees just coming into leaf.  Then across the fields towards the horse farms, here a Kestrel flew over and a couple more Swallows flew past, while the sun came out to take the edge off the wind.

At the style to the lane there was a bed of Violets shimmering in the sunshine.

We walked along the road that leads to Newtown Farm, in the fields were Rooks feeding amongst the cattle and a Kestrel flew over.

Coming down the lane towards Hawthorn Lane the field on the left hand side was full of flowering rapeseed, the crop is a "marmite" plant many hate it but it does brighten the landscape, and in full bloom the flowers can be spectacular.

At the bottom of the path a Small Tortoiseshell flew past and settled on the dried mud of the path.

Along the Lye Way Bridleway it was well sheltered and warm in the sunshine.  I caught a snippet of a Firecrest in song but couldn't get it to show.  A marsh Tit though showed very well.

With the sunshine and sheltered aspect of the bridleway the butterflies started to appear.  Orange Tips were the most numerous and for once they were prepared to sit on the greater stitchwort along the edge of the path. They were all males.

I have two favourite butterflies of which one is the Marbled White which will be with us later on in the year and the Orange Tip, I just love the intricacy of the green and white patterns on the underwing and the way the orange tips signal their presence as the fly purposefully along the hedgerows and lanes in search of a mate

As we entered the wood by Old Down Cottage, a Small White settled on one of the plants but only gave a brief view.

Speckled Woods were also on the wing in the wood.

The leaves are slowly emerging on the Beech trees providing a lovely green colour against the dark background of the tree boughs and the darkness of the wood.

Coming out of the wood onto Brislands a Yellowhammer was calling from one of the Oak trees giving good views.

On Tuesday calls in the garden revealed the first Blackbird fledgling of the year, it wasn't though one of our blackbirds brood as they were still carrying food away to a nest somewhere.

Our Blackbird having a bath in between feeding duties.

Our walk later that afternoon was in sunshine, Brislands Lane looking beautiful with the emerging leaves and April sunshine.

A Small Tortoiseshell was on the bracken alon Brislands.  They seem to be a lot more numerous this year, I have seen more in April this year than for the whole of last year.

Just before the entrance to Old Down I stopped to look at the shadows caused by the emerging leaves and the late afternoon sunshine.

In the wood other colour leaves were emerging.

Coming back through the wood a flock of 12 Crossbill flew over by the Gradwell entrance.  They settled in the top of the larch tree and I could see at least 2 red males but then they flew off and disappeared. It has been sometime since I have seen or heard Crossbill in Old Down Wood.

On Wednesday we took the north perimeter path around Old Down where the Bluebells were all out.

As I walked I searched the side of the path for something different and I soon found what I was looking for even though I felt it was very early for them, three Early Purple Orchids.

The orchid is normally found with Bluebells and with the bluebells early it is no surprise the early purple orchids were too.  The classic colour is magenta however occasionally white and pale pink flower spikes can be found. The leaves are shiny with dark purple blotches. When first in bloom it has a wonderful scent, not dissimilar to Lily-of-the-valley tinged with blackcurrant but as the flowers fade, it starts to smell.

The Early Purple Orchid was once a common plant, found in a variety of habitats. Sadly, these have also been places where urban development and modern farming methods have taken their toll. Although it is still found at sites throughout the UK it is by no means as abundant as it once was.

The bluebells at the West End were starting to go over but still providing a good show.

Greater Stitchwort provide some white flashes amongst the blue, but in other places the white flower of the Ransome's are emerging contrasting with the deep green of the broad leaves.

Heading up the main path a Holly Blue butterfly settled long enough for me to get a good view.  This is a female with a lot more dark blue to black edging on the upper forewing.

Red Admirals were also about catching the last warmth from the sun.

We crossed the field back into Old Down after walking past the pond.  The shadows were again visible in the trees as we walked towards the wood.

A dead tree that has been used by Great Tits in the past for nesting was now of interest to a Treecreeper.  We watched this one trying to take a piece of dead leaf into the "V" shaped gap in the bark.

As we stood watching the treecreeper a Holly Blue settled on a holly leaf, this one a male.

While a rather faded Comma settled on the path in front of us.

Thursday there was a sunbathing Blackbird on the lawn.  Not sure if this was for the warmth of the sun or maybe anting.

Walking down Brislands the leaves coming out on the Oaks looked impressive overhead.

At the entrance to Old Down the Wren was still singing to declare its territory.

I walked down towards the West End to look for butterflies, unfortunately the one I was hoping for, a Green Hairstreak, I couldn't find so I had to make do with A speckled Wood on a bluebell

As I stood searching for the hairstreak a Chiffchaff was singing close by.  It gave a great display.

I took the western perimeter path and was instantly surprised by the show of Bluebells here.  Hidden away from the main path they were looking superb in the late afternoon sunshine.

As I stood admiring the bluebell show a Stock Dove called from the surrounding trees.  I have been hearing this Stock Dove for sometime now but have never managed to find or see it.

Looking out from the wood away to the west the scene looked beautiful, in complete contrast to some areas of the country where I am sure it is quite a different story.

I walked around to the main path and stood in the clearing looking and listening.  Alarm calls alerted me to birds flying through the larch trees.  They then appeared above me, a pair of Sparrowhawks displaying and sky dancing.

Looping flight, twists and turns and roller coasters dives then followed above me.

Friday saw a complete change in the weather, some sun to start but the clouds rolled in and then by late morning heavy rain.  This lasted until the middle of the afternoon.  In the garden the Robins could be seen using the rain as a shower in much the same way we observed hummingbirds doing this is Costa Rica.  The Blackbird looked a sight with his feathers bedraggled in the rain and both birds continued to come for mealworms.

A welcome pair of visitors to the garden feeders were a pair of Bullfinches. I don't normally like photographs of birds on feeders but in this case I take the exception.

But the male then moved to a branch for a more natural shot.

The rain returned in the early hours of Saturday morning, but cleared through the morning, which allowed us to head out for a walk around late morning.  It was overcast but in places the sun was forcing its way through and when it did things warmed up.  We headed out into Old Down Wood with the intention of walking up Andrews Lane and then out along Lye Way and back along Lyeway and Kitwood Lane.

Along Brislands a clump of Common Cumfrey.  This is a hairy plant of damp ground and is found beside rivers, in fens and ditches, and on roadside verges and waste ground. It often grows in clumps and displays clusters of bell-shaped, pinky-purple flowers.  Common comfrey has large, oval, hairy leaves, and clusters of drooping, tubular flowers that are pinky-purple in colour.

In Old Down Wood the overcast conditions gave us the opportunity to see the bluebells in a different light.  As we walked through several pairs of Jay could be seen and heard flying around the tree tops.  Always a lovely bird to see but not one to hear.

A Jay appeared while we were looking at the Bluebells.

Here the Bluebells in a different light around the west perimeter path.

Walking down through the Desmond Paddocks Rooks were feeding in the meadows, the ground being softer and easier to probe for food.

I always stop at the view over the paddocks on Andrews Lane, it was at this time of year in 2014 that I found a male Ring Ouzel here.  Unfortunately not this year though, instead a Green Woodpecker motionless calling from a post.

Lords and Ladies leaves have been prominent along the verges and hedges, but now the flowers are beginning to appear.  Here an almost perfect petal and stipe.  It will be gone overnight probably eaten by a small rodent.

We could hear the lambs before we saw them.  The fields along Lye Way were now full of lambs of different ages, some running around chasing each other or jumping on their mothers.  These two were just content to lie down and watch us.

As we watched the lambs a couple of Swallow flew through heading north and Skylarks were sing behind over the fields.

I was hoping for a Whitethroat along the lane, but as we reached the turn off at Lye Cottage for the footpath I heard the song of a Willow Warbler.  It took some time but we eventually found it at the top of the Oak tree, moving through the branches fly catching and singing as it went.

Willow Warblers are not a common bird around the patch, we will get one or two through the spring but I doubt they breed here, using the trees as a stopover as they head north.

Some of the fields are growing crops in strips, and there was a yellow line running alongside the middle of the field.  What is nice though is that the wildlife strips have been retained in the fields around Lye Way something that is missing closer to the village.

We disturbed a pair of Red-legged Partridges by the side of the road and they scuttled across the field stopping every so often to scan.

As we reached the turnoff for Hawthorn Lane we pass a Beech Wood with very dark boughs, conifers mixed in also contribute to a dark atmosphere.  Many of the large Beech trees are covered in thick moss giving them a velvet like appearance, a bit like a seventies velvet jacket for the trees.

Again the newly emerged leaves contrast beautifully with the dark backgrounds.

From the Lye Way Bridleway we walked up the hill to Kitwood, the last significant bird of the day and week was a Yellowhammer singing on the hedge as we reached the end of Kitwood Lane.

An interesting week with some perfect weather.  However despite seeing Swallows at the start they were not everywhere I would have expected them around the horse stables.  There has also been no further sign of any House Martins.  The weather is set to return to sunshine and dry conditions through the coming week, more challenges for those enforcing the social distancing.