Wednesday 4th. April 2012

Catching up on yesterday and today , when some of the country was plunged back into Winter , down South , we seem to have got away with the worst of it . Yesterday was reasonably sunny , but cooler than of late , so wasn't sure what to expect as I arrived up on the Greensand Ridge . A Magpie

greeted me as I got out of the car , usually a wary species , this individual seemed almost friendly . It was obvious from the start that very few reptiles were out , perhaps they had been watching the

forecast ,  Eventually , I found a male Adder lying out on an area of moss amongst some Heather , and about an hour and a half later , on my way back to the car , he was still there , but curled up like a

doughnut . The only other reptile found , another male Adder , was using some Heather as a hammock , and didn't seem at all bothered by my presence . Just before reaching the car , a

Chiffchaff was in full song , and was also happy for me to photograph him . On the bottom lane , the Rookery , which was 8 nests in one tree , has now expanded to 9 , with a possible 10th. in progress .

Some of the early nesters now have young , and can be heard from the lane , especially when the adults return from the horse paddocks with food . On the short journey to home , the car lost power again , and I had to crawl home at walking pace , but at least I knew what was happening this time . I rang my garage , but they couldn't look at it till next Thursday , great , two Bank Holidays on the trot with no car . This morning , I decided to take the car out locally to see if things were still the same , but although the yellow warning light was on , but the car was running perfectly . I rang the garage and they said run it and they would still look at it next Thursday . I took them at their word , but didn't go too far , just a morning visit to Hutchinson Bank , just over the border in Surrey . A vast amount of Hawthorn clearance has obviously been done over the Winter , it was so different I had trouble finding some areas as they were so different . Several Song Thrush , Chiffchaffs and Blackcaps were in full song , and in the woodland area , 3 Nuthatches were competing for the loudest song . The

early sunshine was still reaching the woodland floor and in that light , the Bluebells looked superb . The visit also afforded me the opportunity for a better shot , as promised of Moschatel / Town Hall

Clock / Five-faced Bishop , the last common name put forward by ShySongbird , thank you , I haven't come across that one before . The Yellow Archangel was also found in bud , and should be in flower in a week or two . Returning to one of the cleared areas , a Fox , taking the morning sun , was

seen at the top of a slope .I thought it had seen me here , even though I was still in cover , but remained where he was . Above him was a tree stump that seemed to be the local scratching post for

the Sheep that were grazing the area . The Fox even watched a couple of Magpies on the ground very close to him , perhaps he had had a good breakfast already , but when this sheep came close , the Fox headed for the hills . Using the lanes on the way home , I couldn't help but stop when I saw these

lambs tucking into something tasty in this bucket . I don't know what was in the bucket , but the

lambs were heading for it from every corner of the field .Whilst at a junction highest point on my way home , I could hear Skylarks , so I pulled over and got the camera out . How these birds can fly and sing always amazes me .

And , as for the car , it brought me home no problem , and on the way , the orange warning light went out !