Mike's Natural Musings: A Grey Day on the Horsefield

Tuesday 12 May 2020

A Grey Day on the Horsefield

A day of mixed sun and cloud continues a run of very cold weather again since the recent rain, which barely dampened the ground round here. However it turned out to be warmer than I expected, perhaps because the wind has gone around to the west.

Greater Willow herb is pushing through rapidly now and will soon be in flower. We also found a hawksbeard sp and dove's foot cranesbill in flower. Hogweed is just beginning to appear and it will not be long before it takes over from cow parsley. At the moment the hedgerows are frothing with may blossom and cow parsley. My mum, brought up in the Witham Fens of Lincolnshire used to call cow parsley keck or kecksy. Unusually a pair of mallards flew over the horsefield, another tick. I was pleased to see swallows again, but still await house martins and swifts. I saw both green veined white and small heath butterflies on the wing, both firsts for the year.

At Peakes Tunnel we met another couple, also out birding, who told us that they had just been watching yellow wagtails bathing in the puddles the far side of the bridge. I looked for them but to no avail; perhaps tomorrow. Undaunted, we continued on the track round to the YMCA, crossed Peakes Parkway, once the route of the old Louth railway line and returned via the crematorium and woodland burial ground.