Fieldfares

The Daily Nature Log

  The air carried the faint scent of impending rain as I began my daily nature walk. With the thermometer at 7°C but the wind chill making it feel more like 4°C, I diverted my path away from the sodden playing fields. My new route took me past the leisure centre, where six wood pigeons were stoically perched along the roofline.

  As I moved into Cemetery Road, the first signs of spring were evident in the daffodils emerging along the verges. Upon entering the cemetery, my attention was immediately drawn to a pair of trees play-hosting at least twenty fieldfares. I attempted to capture the scene, but the flock took wing almost instantly, settling in a nearby stand of trees. The hedgerow bordering the recreation ground proved equally lively; it was a hive of movement, home to dunnocks, finches, and restless blue tits. A male blackbird darted through the thicket, while a magpie remained tucked away, a flash of monochrome deep within a bushy shrub.

  The rain began in earnest as I reached Cows Lane. Beneath my umbrella, I passed a couple walking a black Labrador and paused to admire a cluster of yellow aconites. The raindrops beaded beautifully on their petals, lending them a fresh, glistening quality.

  I finished my 2.11-mile circuit in 44 minutes, securing 27 heart points on Google Fit.

Copyright ©️ Text, photographs and videos Written by John Yeo – All rights reserved.