Narrative
   Dodging the forecasted bad weather, I set out early today. Though the thermometer claimed 20°C to 26°C, a brisk southerly wind made the shade feel a chilly 17°C. On the move, I shared a pleasant greeting with a lady walking a familiar duo—a lively golden retriever and a black labrador.
   Nature was out in force. Small white butterflies danced over the recreation ground bank, and purple comfrey peeked from beneath the cricket field hedge. At the cemetery, more white butterflies fluttered near the nettles whilst dunnocks darted into the thickets. Ground-hugging bird’s-foot trefoil lined the paths, overlooked by foraging rooks, wood pigeons, and a surprisingly bold jackdaw.
   Heading to the top field, where a farmer’s young trees promise a future woodland, the rooks were circling high. Turning back, I noticed the vibrant yellow Laburnum blossom had sadly faded and withered. Sparrows dashed into the hedges by the wild dog roses, and the cemetery road was ablaze with the deep pink of oxalis and the bright blue of phacelia. A true showcase for wild flowers!
   I finished the loop by the leisure centre, noting a solitary wood pigeon on the roof and a lone sparrow dancing in the hawthorn by the care-home.
Stats
Distance: 2.07 miles
Duration: 45 minutes
Google Fit: 20 Heart Points
 
 

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

The Narrative
   A late evening departure at 6:00pm offered a respite from the day’s forecasted 20°C heat, courtesy of a cooling northerly breeze. Foxglove Lane’s resident wood pigeons were easily startled today, lifting from the pine-shaded grass as I passed. The local recreation ground was alive with the thwack of leather on willow, though the fielding team had to share the top end with a second pair of easily disturbed pigeons. A solitary Comma butterfly danced along the exit hedge. Over at the cemetery, a peaceful scene of foraging rooks, pigeons, and vibrant bird’s-foot-trefoil was suddenly shattered. A blackbird’s lovely solo was completely usurped by a raucous, 50-strong parliament of rooks taking flight above their rookery. The final stretch offered a pleasant parade of local canines—a sleek black greyhound and a beautifully coated Red or Apricot Poodle mix—while six stoic feral pigeons watched the end of the cricket match from the leisure centre roof.
The Stats
Distance: 1.72 miles
Duration: 36 minutes
Google Fit Points: 27 heart points
Temperature: 11°C to 18°C (Feels like 16°C to 18°C)

Flora & Fauna Observations: Wood pigeons, Rooks, Blackbird, Dunnock, Feral pigeons, Comma butterfly, Bird’s-foot-trefoil, Common daisies, Dandelions, Buttercups.

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

   The temperature sat around 22°C to 23°C, but a 13 to 15 mph southerly breeze made it feel closer to a warm 25°C—a truly beautiful, mild afternoon.

   After Margaret dropped me off at the golf club gates, I set out under a fiercely bright sun. Several jackdaws were already busy feeding on the grass along the outskirts of the course. Nearby in the hedgerow, a large shrub caught my eye, its dazzling yellow tree lupin flowers looking absolutely stunning in the sunshine.

   Heading towards the cliffs, I passed more jackdaws pecking at the turf. At the exit leading down to the shore, I came across another glorious patch of tree lupins, their branches covered in golden, pointed candles and alive with fluttering sparrows.

   Reaching the clifftop, I looked down at the promenade. The tide was fully in, sending tiny waves rippling towards the shore, and I paused to photograph a sea-fishing vessel just offshore. Oddly, the entire area was completely devoid of gulls—it then occurred to me that they had likely vanished to their breeding grounds.

   Down on the promenade, my approach startled a delightful mixed flock of starlings and sparrows, which burst into flight from a large Hebe shrub teeming with birds. Re-entering the golf course, I watched more jackdaws wheeling about the grass and snapped a photo of some vibrant red and white dog roses tucked into a corner by the path.

   A man walking a golden retriever offered a friendly greeting as he passed. Nearing the end of my route back at the main gates, I spotted a pair of dunnocks perched quietly on the brambles next to the railway line.

Stats Summary

Distance: 2.23 miles

Duration: 48 minute

Google Fit: 28 Heart Points

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

The mercury hovered around 17°C, but a brisk westerly breeze chopped that down to a chilly 14°C. With ominous black clouds threatening an imminent downpour, I grabbed an umbrella and set out. Along the way, I passed a lady with an elderly black greyhound that was rapidly turning grey.
   Reaching the recreation ground, I skirted the cricket pitch. My ‘friend’ the Pitbull Terrier was in his usual spot—perched like a gargoyle on the garden trampoline, quietly watching me pass with an amiable gaze. At the cemetery entrance, a robin made a cameo on a gatepost before diving headlong into a thick shrub.
   Inside, the avian drama kicked off. Three partridges bolted into the air as I approached, touched down in the adjacent empty field, and sprinted away across the grass at an amazing speed. Overhead, a crowd of rooks took flight alongside a few startled wood pigeons. I paused by the wild bank to snap photos of the dramatic sky over the fields.

Alongside a fertile mix of bird’s-eye trefoil, green alkanet, veronica, and mouse-ear hawkweed.

    Heading for the exit, I was treated to a wonderful aural symphony. On one side, a male blackbird poured his heart into a beautiful territorial solo from a treetop; on the other, the rookery fired back with their customary, guttural rasping.
   On the final stretch past the care home, three sparrows darted from the hawthorn hedge to the leisure centre roof, while a pair of pigeons were happily billing and cooing on the roofline of a new-build house.
Clean Stats
Distance: 2.84 miles
Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes
Google Fit: 24 Heart Points

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

The Daily Walk
   The temperature hovered around 14°C, though fresh 15 to 20 mph southerly breezes dropped the ‘feels like’ closer to 12°C. Rain was forecast all day, but it held off just long enough for me to set out—umbrella firmly in hand, just in case.
   Heading towards the recreation ground, a young man passed by with a small white Terrier-type dog. Over on the town football ground, a lone corvid was busy feeding on the turf, joined by three more spread across the rec itself.
   Reaching the entrance to Cemetery Road, I spotted my ‘friendly’ pitbull neighbour flat-out asleep on his garden lawn. The cemetery itself was a hive of activity, seemingly alive with solitary birds feeding in the grass. Rooks kept up a vocal chorus around the rookery, while several jackdaws and wood pigeons mingled at a safe distance from the main assembly.
   At the top of the cemetery, I stepped into the empty field rumoured to be the future site of a woodland cemetery. A younger patch of trees planted a while back is already thriving, and a small white butterfly was busy fluttering along the weedy bank by the allotments. I paused for a couple of photographs: one looking out over the farmer’s fields patchwork-coloured against the horizon, and another capturing the young woodland with the sea gleaming in the distance.
   Turning back towards the gates, I was treated to a spectacular close encounter with a pied wagtail. The bold little bird dropped down right in front of me, almost within touching distance, wagging its tail briefly before darting away.
   My return route took me down Cemetery Road and onto Leisure Centre Road, where six feral pigeons, a gull, and a jackdaw stood in a neat line along the rooftop. A lone sparrow watched from the care home’s hawthorn hedge, and a final group of six corvids fed on the recreation ground, punctuation marks at the end of a splendid active wild nature walk.

Activity Stats
Metric Details
Distance 2.19 miles
Duration 49 minutes
Google Fit 27 Heart Points

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

   The mercury teased a mild 14°C, but a biting northerly wind had other ideas, chopping the real-feel down to a bracing 8°C. Undeterred by the 12 mph breeze, I set off from home to see what the local wildlife (and local residents) were up to.

   Foxy Lane got things started with a wood pigeon making a brisk, aerial dash into the pine trees. Turning towards the recreation field, I found myself trailing a young couple out with their two hounds—a small, white Cockapoo-type and a black spaniel. In an unscripted moment of high drama, the spaniel suddenly decided the grass was the perfect place to deposit his business. Cue the horror-struck lady owner, who swiftly deployed a plastic bag to save the day and clean up the grassy politics.

   Skirting the edges of the recreation ground, I spotted a duo of rooks dining at a distance. Meanwhile, my old friend the Pitbull Terrier was occupying his usual high ground—perched majestically on his garden trampoline—and offered up a couple of mandatory warning barks as I strolled past his kingdom.

   Inside the cemetery, a male blackbird put on quite a performance from an adjacent fence, clucking repetitively and grandly displaying his feathers. More rooks patrolled the grass verges as I pushed through to the far end. But the real spectacle came when I opened the gates to the field: a massive feathered flash mob of about 50 rooks and 10 wood pigeons, mingled with sundry other corvids, exploded into the sky in all directions. The air was thick with a clamorous symphony of avian alarm cries.

   Leaving the commotion behind, I headed towards the leisure centre, where five stoic feral pigeons were lined up on the rooftop like a feathered reception committee to wrap up the trek.

The Stats

Distance: 1.89 miles

Duration: 40 minutes

Google Fit: 23 Heart Points

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

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

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

The Walk Narrative

   The afternoon served up a classic British weather cocktail: a bright, sunny facade masking a biting, northwesterly wind that dropped the ‘feels like’ temperature down to a bracing 4°C. Braced against the intermittent showers, I set out, immediately spotting a pair of wood pigeons executing a perfectly synchronised, side-by-side flypast across the road.

   Down at the town football ground, a six-strong rook committee was busy inspecting the turf. Skirting the recreation ground, my inner investigative journalist took over when I spotted a spectacular, high-pressure leak spurting from the cricket club water tank. I captured the plumbing crisis on camera, but since a couple of local lads were already on the scene, I safely assumed the cricket club’s emergency hotline was already ringing.

   Passing by his domain, my usual friend—the lively resident Pitbull Terrier—surprised me by sitting as quiet as a judge in his garden. Entering the cemetery, the mood shifted to pure spring colour; I took a splendid photograph of a vibrant yellow Laburnum shrub by the gates while a roaring crowd of thirty rooks held a noisy convention in the treetops above. Up at the farmer’s field, a solitary blackbird was ignoring the politics, quietly pecking for tea among the pine cones, surrounded by a carpet of beautiful Bird’s-foot trefoil flowers.

   On the return leg, a tiny wren played peek-a-boo, darting like a bullet into the roadside hedge. My final avian headcount took place at the leisure centre, where six feral pigeons and a lone jackdaw were holding the high ground on the rooftop, casually watching a man and his Terrier-type dog march past the front entrance.

Daily Activity Stats

Metric Detail

Distance 1.87 miles

Duration 40 minutes

Google Fit Points 19 Heart Points

Actual Temperature 8°C to 11°C

Wind Chill (‘Feels Like’) 4°C to 6°C

Weather Conditions Sunny but cold; breezy northwesterly winds & intermittent showers

Notable Wildlife 36 rooks, 2 wood pigeons, 6 feral pigeons, 1 jackdaw, 1 blackbird, 1 wren, and 1 very quiet Pitbull.

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

   The North-Northwest wind cut through the morning, making the 10°C air feel nearly half that as it gusted across the recreation ground. Undeterred by the 40 mph blasts, a dozen rooks claimed the football pitch for their breakfast, while jackdaws patrolled the cricket field.
   The walk through the cemetery was a botanical delight; the vibrant yellow of a Laburnum tree stood in stark contrast to the wild, weedy bank where the insects remained tucked away from the gale. Greater stitchwort and bird’s-eye trefoil dotted the grass, though the local corvids weren’t keen on sharing the view, taking flight as soon as a human silhouette appeared. A quick dash by a small bird and a lively Cockapoo provided the final flourishes to a brisk 56-minute trek.

The Stats
Distance: 2.56 miles
Duration: 56 minutes
Intensity: 25 Google Fit Heart Points
Air Temp: 9°C – 11°C
Wind Chill: 5°C – 6°C
Wind Speed: 30–40 mph (NNW)
Key Sightings: Rooks (12+), Jackdaws (7), Wood Pigeon, Feral Pigeons (3), Laburnum, Greater Stitchwort, Bird’s-eye Trefoil.

Today, we had two incredibly rare visitors to our garden in the shape of a pair of partridges. This is the first time we have ever seen these beautiful birds in our garden. I took many photographs of them through the kitchen windows. We also saw a pair of collared doves and a pair of dunnocks. Quite a few goldfinches were coming and going to the sunflower seed feeders. Our resident wood pigeon was also around and several feral pigeons. I couldn’t help noticing that the partridges weren’t at all aggressive, like the feral pigeons. A few different species of birds were peacefully feeding at the same time. I took a photograph of the two partridges, the two collared doves and our resident wood pigeon searching for dropped seeds beneath the feeders at the same time.

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