A Raven perches in the upper branches of a Pine tree at the Large Copse. The bird repeatedly calls it’s deep croak which bellows out across South Field. It beats its wings with each call, as if to force out the lowest ‘cronk-cronk’. Suddenly it croaks a higher pitched call and takes flight alongside a second Raven I hadn’t noticed in the neighbouring tree.
I walk on to the Castle and down to the bridge, passing the Red Valerian which branches out from the stone walls, having grown in the smallest of cracks in the mortar. A Jersey Tiger moth also bursts out from the wall and into colour as it reveals its soft-red underwing, which disappears when not in flight.
The Dell is filled with a beautiful mosaic of colour; yellow Ragwort, Bristly Ox-Tongue, and Fleabane. Pink Willowherb, Buddleja, and Fuchsia, to the abundance of deep-red Sorrel alongside the bridge. Pigeons and Blackbirds scavenge amongst the leaf litter, and a Great Tit sings from the surrounding Holm Oak.
The hedge along Caravan Terrace has now grown thick. Dogwood, Sycamore, and Blackthorn is now intertwined with Honeysuckle, Old Man’s Beard, and Wild Rose. Blackberries have started to fruit on the Bramble, and a Common Carder Bee collects pollen from the flowering Wood sage.
Much like the rest of the park, the turf here has turned a dry dusty yellow. However, the Common Restharrow prevails in large patches of spongey green, and more occasionally you can see patches of Bird Foot Trefoil, and Red Bartsia.
A Bloody-nosed Beetle makes its way across the path. It feels it’s way through the strands of grass with its antennae and walks robotically, with each leg in turn. They are quite slow critters which could easily be squished underfoot. so I pick him up and move him to his destination amongst the long grass off of the beaten track.