A proper spring morning, with brilliant sunshine and patches of blue sky, alternating with short, sharp showers. A powerful south-westerly wind roars across the park, sending blizzards of white Blackthorn petals tumbling through the air and making even the largest Holm Oaks sway and dance.
Out of the wind, on Caravan Terrace, Dunnock, Great Tit and Blackbird are in song, with a handsome, crimson-breasted male Bullfinch looking magnificent in the spring sunshine.
Underfoot, a sea of Primroses covers the short turf, their pale yellow petals trembling in the breeze.
Rounding the Head, 5 Wheatears struggle to keep their footing as they strut across the short grass, looking very smart in their grey, black and cream plumage.
White horses race across the sea, with a few bright white Gannets standing out against the dark blue water.
Closer to shore, Guillemots and Razorbills (looking much blacker than the Guillemots mixed with them) bob on the water, with Fulmars carving through the wind and Great Black-backed Gulls soaring on broad powerful wings.
2 more Wheatears on the path near Tilly Whim, while on the Milepost Slope, more Early Spider Orchids are in bloom along with the first Chalk Milkwort I have seen this year – it’s tiny pink flowers nestled among the grass.
Centenary Meadow is covered with a rippling sea of Cowslips (with more still to come!), with glossy black Bloody-nose Beetles plodding along the paths.
Green-winged Orchids are also in bloom, along with Early Purple Orchids, their broad leaves looking as if they have been spattered with ink. Nearby the leaves of Yellow Rattle are starting to appear.
After much searching of the poached grass in the Saxon Field, I was able to find a few of the tiny, strange Adderstongue Fern – looking a little like a miniature version of Cuckoo Pint (which is starting to bloom in the woodland).