Spring walk

Fields have been ploughed and hedges clipped, it's all looking fine.

In the woods I can see only one wood anemone is in flower but every day the bluebell leaves are pushing themselves further out of the ground.

A small, muddy stream feeds the pond that lies in the heart of the wood. The most delightful thing about it is it's tinkling sound when all other distant noises have been deadened by the canopy of trees.

There has been quite a lot of  clearing and replanting work done in the woods. The old fir tree that used to grow in a lopsided manner on the tiny island in the centre of the pond has been cut down. You can see the pathway through the water that was made to access the island and two saplings have been planted as a replacement.

There are always some muddy tracks, as water seeps down the slopes to the stream at the bottom of the valley. The mud gives information of the traffic through the woods, plenty of deer prints, well-shod humans and some rather large dogs!

There is a pathway in the woods wide enough for vehicles where the shoot drive through. The grassy verges are dotted with wild daffodils. There don't seem to be many in flower this year.

But when I look in the pheasant pen, where there is no access, I can see plenty of flowers.

Someone has obviously been doing a bit of illegal picking on the verges.

 
We came back by the lake where all the ducks have paired up. They went onto the water, taking avoiding action, when they saw Maisie.

On the roadside verge outside our gate there are wild violets

and celandines.