Nature Diary #2

29^th March 8.30am (really 7.30am as the clocks went forward last night!)

The north wind was particularly unpleasant today, very cold and extremely strong. Most wildlife appeared to be being sensible as I saw very little on my walk to the lake: one solitary skylark who briefly soared into the air, did a quick trill and dived for cover! Apart from that I only saw a few wood pigeons near the lake and a couple of crows – very disappointing.

30^th March 10.20 am

It was a bright and sunny morning, but with more clouds than of late. The wind was blowing from the north-east but nowhere near as strong as yesterday and, in sheltered spots, it felt very warm. 

My route through the Solar Farm

Roe deer in the hedgerow

I started off intending to walk to the fishing lake and back, but it was such a nice morning that I carried on from the far end of the lake, across a field and into the Solar Farm field, where a footpath follows the line of the old railway track (Somerset & Dorset Burnham spur, for any railway buffs out there!) and re-joins a lane at the far side. As I crossed the first field a snipe took off from about 2 feet in front of me! I wish they wouldn’t do that – it nearly gave me a heart attack! As I crossed the solar farm field at least two skylarks were up and carolling. I thought they were rare birds these days but just in these few fields we must have five or six! It’s such a joyous song that you can’t help smiling – and such volume from such a tiny bird. Once I was out on the lane I turned left to join the A371, but after only a few yards came across two deer lying in the hedge just inside a field gate – what a treat. They braved it for a few minutes but were obviously camera-shy as they soon made off when I got my camera out of my pocket. 

Camera-shy roe deer!

At the A371 I turned left and after a couple of hundred yards/metres turned left again into Bagborough Lane, where I came upon a glorious patch of violets. About halfway along the lane I saw a buzzard take off from near some derelict farm buildings and then, not long after, a kestrel. A robin was spilling his harmonious song into the morning and a flock of gulls were calling to each other as they wheeled above a newly ploughed field.

Violets

31^st March 9.30am

It was quite cloudy when I set off and the wind was still from the east, but the sun came out for a short while before the clouds moved back in.

My route to Pylle

I decided to do another longer walk today, so set off up the A37 (luckily there’s a pavement at this point) and then turned left into a no through road called Hedge Lane. Partway along the lane there is a footpath to the left which also doubles as the Festival Cycleway when the Glastonbury Festival is on. I eventually left this and struck off across a field towards the lane that runs between Pylle and Pilton, and came out on to a sunken trackway. 

The track of the old S & D railway

As I walked along, I pondered why it was such a wide track, until it suddenly dawned on me that I was walking along the trackbed of the disused railway. As I realised this I came to a stone structure which appeared to be an supporting wall for a field edge but, on closer examination, it had two arches built into it, now partially filled in. I have no idea what it was used for but was obviously something to do with the railway. 

Interesting arches

The banks of the cutting were covered in wild garlic – I must bring a bag with me next time! I heard pheasants and robins quite near by but didn’t see them, and eventually came out onto the lane, where I turned left and walked back through Pylle village proper, past the Church and the Manor and the old Manor Farm buildings. Near here I saw yet another buzzard and another kestrel – I hadn’t seen a kestrel for ages so two in two days was a rare treat. Coming out of the village and heading back towards the main road I saw a tractor rolling a pasture field and beyond it a fairly large and active rookery.

Wild garlic

1^st April 10.30am

It was much cloudier today, but with less wind – still from an easterly direction.

I’d been a bit disappointed with the lack of wildlife on yesterday’s walk so went back to the fishing lake. In the distance I saw a deer in the field next to the main road and the two mallard drakes were wandering about in the field next to the lake – they didn’t stay around once they’d spotted me! Today’s birds were chaffinches, great tits, a couple of skylarks and a wren.

A distant deer

The two Mallard drakes

2^nd April 10.30am

Today I only did a very short walk to the little Victorian post box on the corner of Hedge Lane, as I had a birthday card to post. The slot for letters is so small that you have to choose your card carefully or you end up having to fold it to get it in! I once sent an A4 document from there and ended up having to roll it up and then flatten it slightly to get it through the hole! It was interesting to see that most of the traffic on the A37 is now mainly lorries and delivery vans and there are times during the day when I could safely walk down the white lines! I also noted that the wild damson trees, that I ‘cropped’ last year, were in full bloom, so I hope we have another good crop - my Damson Jam is quite popular at market.

Later in the morning I went out into the pony paddock to do battle with the encroaching brambles, now that Mary knows she has it for another 6 months. My ex’s Welsh Section C stallion, Neuaddparc The Squire, meandered over to say hello – he has such a lovely temperament and is not a bit ‘stalliony’.We bred several show winners  with him when he was young, as well as showing him successfully, too.. He’s now 27 years old, but still looking pretty good in my opinion.

Neuaddparc The Squire

3^rd April 7.30am

It was dry and considerably milder this morning.

I went to the fishing lake again, as I wanted to do more bramble cutting later, so didn’t want to be out for hours. The tractors had been out yesterday and had ploughed the stubble fields to the left hand side of the track. They were obviously going to do a further field as they had left their machinery parked up overnight. I had a quick look at the amazing piece of kit on the back – not only does it rotavate the ground, it then direct drills the seed deep into the ground and then scuffles the ground up to make sure they are all covered! Not so long ago, this would have been a three-stage operation. 

All-in-one maize sowing

It looks as if they are going to grow maize in these three big fields this year (the badgers will be pleased, as it is much nearer to their sett!!). I somehow don’t think I will be seeing any mammals in this area for a while as there is no cover whatsoever. However, my regular skylarks were up and singing, but there was not much else about. In the hope of seeing something more interesting I again went into the Solar Farm field but skirted the edge of it and came out on Easton Lane near the scrap metal yard. There were sheep in one of the fields, but also a small number in amongst the solar panels. They let them in there periodically to eat off the grass between the arrays. Just before I came out onto the A37 I spotted a random patch of wood anemones, or windflowers, on the grass verge.

Wood anemones

4^th April 9.30am

The wind had swung round to blow from the south-east and it was a bit milder this morning. There were quite a few clouds, but it was generally sunny.

I walked to the lake and heard lots of skylarks – they seem to each have one field as their territory. In fact there was so much birdsong that I wished I was better at identifying them. There has probably always been this much birdsong but being still relatively close to the A37 the traffic noise is usually far greater – one benefit of the lockdown, I guess. I saw and heard wrens, great tits, blue tits, robins, blackbirds and the usual wood pigeons, crows and jackdaws. On my way back I saw another tractor rolling the fields that had been planted yesterday, and that's it, job done. Now we just need some rain to make it all grow!

Rolling the fields after sowing