My Saturday stroll around Cranford Park

 

As always I started my visit today at the wood circle and shared my breakfast with the resident pair of Robins. Today we had dried fruit and a cheese sandwich. The Robins are very used to me now, and often come down to the 'table' before I've even walked back to my log perch.

 

 

There's a large old log pile nearby that is only visible when there are no leaves on the shrubs that grow in front of it. Last autumn the log pile was covered in fungi, and they've fruited again. Not quite the same large display as in autumn, but still pretty enough for me....

 

Also near the wood circle is a very large old evergreen. I don't know what species it is, but I have previously got photos of a Coal Tit hanging of one of the tree's cones. From the comfort of my perch this morning, I was looking around when there was a loud bird alarm call from the evergreen. I could see movement at the top of the tree and then a Mistle Thrush burst out and landed a few feet away from me. It was the Thrush that was calling. A loud sound like a dry rattle. I managed to get a couple of photos before it realised I was there and flew off. And no, I didn't find out what had upset it so much.....

 

 

On the other side of the wood circle is the shady area where I normally see the Song Thrushes. One didn't disappoint today, though it was a bit more distant than I would have liked....

 

A Buff-tailed bumblebee landed on a dandelion by my feet. It was as if was just asking to have it's photo taken, so of course I obliged....

 

 

Before making my way in to the woods and around the rest of the park, I checked on the honeybee hive in the hollow. Last week Sue and I saw several honeybees going in and out, but today I didn't see one. On looking closer at the photo I took today, the honeycomb looks to be damaged ? I'm not sure. It's hard to say. I'll just have to keep checking the hollow out....

 

 

Going through Cranford Woods I found a lovely established spread of Common Dog Violet.....

 

 

These are a different species to the Sweet Violets that are in St Dunstans churchyard. The one's there are very fragrant and grow quite low to the ground. The Dog Violet has no perfume and the flowers grow higher than the leaves.

 

Also found in the woods were two species of Hoverfly.

Boring for some people I know, but I am quite fond of these tiny little lovelies.

The first teeny one is Melanostoma scalare......

 

 

and the second is a male Syrphus species......

 

How do I know it's male I hear you ask ? Only the males have eyes that join together. The females have a gap between the eyes....................

I'm sure there is a joke in that statement somewhere.........

 

The Bluebells in the woods are really coming on now. It's going to be beautiful display once they're all out....

 

My second favourite perch after the wood circle, is an old fallen log on the other side of the woods. There too, the Bluebells are opening up.....

 

 

It's on this same log that my favourite minute fungus, the Eye-lash, fruits and it's the only place in Cranford Woods that I've ever seen it.

 

We often have Buzzards fly over the woods and park. Sometimes they come from the direction of the M4 and one is often seen perching in one of the trees in the adjacent cereal field. But today I twice flushed one that was perched on the same tree within Cranford Woods. Both times the bird flew away 'mewing' (ie calling in the way only Buzzards and Red Kites call - like a cat with tonsillitis).

After accidentally flushing the bird the second time, I found a spot where I could see the tree but where the bird wouldn't be able to see me unless I moved, and waited to see if it returned. It did.

 I couldn't get a photo as the moment I moved to lift my camera the Buzzard sensed this and again flew off 'mewing'. On top of this same tree is a very large nest which I can honestly say I have never noticed before. I cannot say for certain that it is the Buzzard that is using it as I didn't see the bird on the nest, just on nearest branch to it, and as always when I find a nest site, I will not be publicly declaring where it is. But it would be a great result if along with the other raptors that nest within the woods, the Common Buzzard joined them.

Later in the afternoon whilst I was sheltering from the rain, two Buzzards were soaring the thermals together above the woods both 'mewing' to each other. I only got one bird in focus through the branches though.....

 

Just like last week there were plenty of singing Wrens popping up everywhere.....

 

I walked all the way around the park today, following the path alongside Frogs Ditch. There was a reason for this. On my blog post from last Sunday, a gent called Ian (one of the dog walkers over the park) sent me a lovely message. In it he also told me he often hears Tawny Owls calling at the other end of the park (the Cranford Lane end).

I love the dog walkers at the park. They are so happy to share their sightings and information with me. Sue and I have been told before that Tawnys are often heard, but we have never found them.

So today I walked all the way to the Cranford Lane end and checked all suitable looking trees. There are several that look good. But to be really sure I'm going to need to go back there at dawn or dusk to listen for the owls calling.

 

Ian also mentioned in his message that other dog walkers had told him about the Muntjac deer that frequent the park but he had never seen any evidence of deer. So to prove the other dog walkers are absolutely right I took photos of just a couple of the many tracks that were across the park today.......

 

 

I'm going to lay my thoughts out in the open here now, and state that I think there is just one male Muntjac but that he has two or more females with him. There is a reason behind this that I hope to prove soon.

 

Walking from the iron bridge to the stone bridge along the River Crane, there were at least two Green Woodpeckers calling in that wonderful 'waffling' way.

I spotted one....

Can you see it ?

 

Here he is......

 

and the female was in another tree but too hidden for a photo call.

 

As I continued walking I heard a Kingfisher call and swung around expectantly only to see it very very briefly as it flew back up the river in the direction I had just come from.

 

At the stone bridge I scanned the river with my bins in both directions but couldn't spot it again. However by the M4 viaduct I found the Little Egret ! A nice add to todays sightings as no one has seen it for a few months now. However, as always, as soon as the bird sees you trying to sneak up on it, it takes off. Luckily for me it landed again in the river (yes you guessed it.......back in the direction I had just come from !) and I could only get a half decent distant photo.....

 

In the Memorial Garden the first baby Rabbits of the year have emerged.....

 

 

But on a sour note to end a very pleasant few hours stroll, some moron has nicked one of the new benches that were placed at the back of the stable blocks....

The bench was bolted down, so the idiots have literally sawed through the legs and carried it away.

Only consolation is I suppose is that whoever done the sawing was crap, so each bolted leg left is uneven and slanted. Therefore that is going to be one very wobbly bench decorating some thief's garden !!!!!