A Surprisingly Warm Walk Around the Horsefield.

It began fairly grey today before clearing to mixed sun and cloud later in the morning.  With a gentle wind from the west, this made for pleasant conditions.  Despite the little bit of rain that we have had the ground is still bone dry.  I took the usual route to the Horsefield and when crossing Gooseman's Drain noticed tadpoles swimming in the water.  Frogs don't need much moisture in order to mate and lay their spawn.  Good to see anyway.  House sparrows were noisily busy in the first hedge along the drain with wood pigeons and magpies well in evidence.  Once on the Horsefield, as usual there was the constant rather grumpy chattering of linnets and I saw one carrying food.  There are now several linnets displaying by flying up into the air singing their scratchy song.  I heard several willow warbles and chiffchaffs and one black cap.  It was good to hear a song thrush singing loudly and a buzzard soared over the cemetery.  Peacocks, tortoiseshells and whites were on the wing and I found one tortoiseshell in prime condition.  Most are now looking rather tired and bedraggled.  The hedgerow hawthorns and blackthorns are now fully in leaf and everywhere looks green and verdant.

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The Horsefield

The Horsefield

The Horsefield

The Horsefield

The Horsefield

Small Tortoiseshell

Whitethroat