A glorious early patrol, bright sunshine as I walked around the meadow edges. The sound of birdsong coming from the blossom laden bushes. In amongst the May (Hawthorn) a Greenfinch was ‘seeping’, eventually spotted as I crept further round the tree.
The Elder, the delicate white flowers now coming out, was being used as a song post by a Song Thrush, a gorgeous melodious tune, while on the Wayfaring Tree alongside Dunnock was singing its thin more fluty song.
The meadows are full of flowers, a super display of Hay Rattle mixing with Red Clover, Bulbous Buttercups and Meadow Buttercups. The pale blue flowers of Pale Flax turned towards the sunlight.
A white carpet of Ox-eye Daisies, interspersed with the brilliant pink triangle shaped flower of the Sainfoin, one of the many pea/vetch flowers to be found at the moment.
Low to the ground, the bright yellow horseshoe shaped flower of the Horseshoe Vetch is out, getting close the smell is quite potent. Alongside this the vibrant blue of Chalk Milkwort, touched with a fleck of white, a few of the pink variety also to be found.
While admiring these, the spikes of Early English Gentian appeared (just like that), however despite the sunshine none were open, obviously late risers! Nearby the fluffier fatter flower of Kidney Vetch was looking magnificent.
A few butterflies on the wing, with the browny-orange and grey Small Heath and the Speckled Wood, with dark brown with yellow spots, this fluttering around the bushes while the Small Heath was along the grass.
A quick flicker of grey and blue, saw a Small Blue butterfly, but I was then distracted by a House Martin swooping just passed me, a lovely deep dark blue as the sun caught it, and obvious white rump. Very different to the following Swallow.