Mike's Natural Musings: A Rewarding Early Morning Walk Around the Horsefield and the Dead Wood.

Tuesday, 14 April 2020

A Rewarding Early Morning Walk Around the Horsefield and the Dead Wood.

Up early for the walk this morning. It was grey to begin, with a temperature of only 7C, but the sun was forecast to put in an appearance by 8.00. The route was a variation of the usual: across the cultivated field over a couple of ditches and then around the Horsefield by the side of the cemetery woods. From Peake's Tunnel I headed over more fields to the site of the old Peake's Tunnel Farm where where the ancient garden pear tree was a mass of blossom. After the farm I was soon into the wood before heading back across the Horsefield and home for breakfast.

Things are significantly greener now after only a few days on the bike. The first indication is when walking over the cultivated fields where the crop, spring wheat or barley, is now showing through as a flush of green. This is amazing as it was only sown a matter of days ago and the land looks bone dry, but there must be enough moisture in the soil to get things going. Some rain will be needed soon, though, and we haven't had any for a month or more. The hedges are green with hawthorn leaves now and there is a green flush to the woods as leaves begin to open up.

Barely having set out, I was pleased when a sparrowhawk streaked through and I could hear skylarks everywhere. In fact the bird song seemed especially vocal; perhaps because, unusually, I was wearing my hearing aid. From the cemetery woods I could hear at least two willow warblers singing and two more elsewhere on the edgeland. I heard one solitary chiffchaff in the cemetery woods but several more in the woods of Carr Plantation (my Dead Wood). The drumming of a greater spotted woodpecker echoed through the woods and a missel thrush was singing so loudly other birds were being drowned out. I found a pair of black caps, the male skulking and not singing, but the female giving its warning call so, presumably, they are holding territory. I was surprised when a roe deer ran across the path just in front of me and on through the wood. Shortly afterwards I could hear its bark-like voice.

Heading back along the track and crossing the Peake's Tunnel bridge over Peake's Parkway the sun had come up and was warming my back. The views were expansive across to the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds with oil seed rape gleaming a strident yellow. Linnets were now plentiful in the hedges on the Horsefield and reed buntings sang from their tops. A pair of buzzards soared over the cemetery and I heard the two cemetery willow warblers again along with the chiffchaff and I was delighted to spot a whitethroat before leaving for the short walk home.