Daily Nature Log: 16 May 2026
The Narrative
   A deceptive start to the day, as bright sunshine and a pleasant warmth masked a moderate 11 to 13 mph breeze blowing in from the west-northwest. Down at the town football ground, a small gathering of corvids prodded at the turf, whilst next door at the recreation ground, the gentle leather-on-willow sound of a cricket match accompanied my walk towards the cemetery.
   Inside the gates, a poignant encounter: a polite gentleman held the entrance for me, cheerfully noting he was there to “have a chat with his son.” He gently revealed his son had passed away in a road accident 17 years ago, aged just 20. After exchanging quiet sympathies, I moved on to the pathways, shadowed by jackdaws on the grass and the guttural-sounding, croaky cacophony of the nearby rookery. Reaching the empty field at the far boundary, my presence triggered a spectacular eruption—a black cloud of about 40 rooks took to the air, voicing their loud, raucous displeasure at my intrusion before leaving me in silence. Heading back, a large white butterfly danced over patches of bird’s-foot trefoil, and a pair of sparrow-sized birds darted into the hedgerow.
   A second pleasant chat with the gentleman at the gates concluded my visit. By the time I returned to the recreation ground, stumps had been drawn and the match was over. A final look up at the leisure centre revealed six feral pigeons and a jackdaw keeping watch on the roof, soon joined by a roving gull. A black Greyhound under the pines and a passing Schnauzer bookended a peaceful, reflective loop.
Clean Stats
Distance: 1.82 miles
Duration: 39 minutes
Weather: 12°C to 15°C, cloudy skies with sunny spells
Wind: NW/W, 11–13 mph
Avian Sightings: Corvids (unspecified), Jackdaws, Rooks (~40), Large White Butterfly, Feral Pigeons (6), Herring Gull, unidentified small birds
Canine Sightings: Greyhound (black), Schnauzer
Fitness: 18 Google Fit Heart Points

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