First Walk Around The Horsefield

Since my heart heart surgery I have been following the physiotherapist's instructions and walking every day, gradually increasing the length and time of walks.  I began with very short walks in the street and 'round the block', then extending them into the cemetery 5 mins walk away.  Eventually I was completing a full lap of two miles and today decided to embark on my first walk around the Horsefield.  This is common land or edgeland and it is a walk I do on a regular basis and I am gradually building a portfolio of photographs and natural observations.  

For a couple of weeks now birds have been singing and preparing for breeding: establishing territories and attracting mates.  Great and blue tits along with blackbirds and song thrushes have been particularly vocal.  Male blackbirds, in particular have been vying for supremacy in our garden, both as territory and as a source of food in the windfall apples that we keep putting out for them.  Daffodils are now taking over from snowdrops and crocuses and hawthorn leaves and blackthorn blossom are beginning to open.  

On today's walk in the warm spring sunshine a male reed bunting in superb breeding plumage was in evidence and  high over the meadow land a buzzard soared its plaintive mewing raising the hairs on the back of my neck.  It was fascinating to see one of these successful raptors so close to urbanization.  The fields surrounding the Horsefield have been freshly ploughed and await this year's crops.