Spring sprang sprung
A lot of change is happening across the site. It feels as if the moment you start to appreciate and grow accustomed to the bleakness of the winter, a flash of colour appears suggesting the changing of seasons. The longer days bring more warmth and energy, start to wake up the many that have spent the season resting. The early flowering plants emerge, vibrant yellows of daffodils and deep purples of crocuses provide a taster of the fresh colours that will appear in the coming months.
daffodils in the shade of the hedge
The songbirds start to call as they gear up for the breeding season. Rooks are busy collecting the makings of nests, clutching twigs in their beaks as they head to the trees, their rookeries visible when looking up at the canopy along the Avenue. We are hopeful that our nest boxes across the site will provide a home for different species, but especially for the tree sparrows.
The amphibians start to make their appearance. Newts slowly shaking off their winter dormancy, using the sun to recharge. The Wildlife Garden will soon be filled with buzzing and fluttering as the invertebrates return, bringing the area back to life.
Despite the reappearance of many, the changing of the season means bidding farewell to our much loved winter migrants. The whooper swans and barnacle geese will be particularly missed, as their presence provides a wonderful winter soundtrack.
Looking back from Sharp's Lookout towards the Folly Pond and Farmhouse on a sunny day
Words and pictures by Meg Grisewood-Foley
