All the flora from last week still out. The one Ramson is now fully out,the first Coltsfoot flowers are showing, cowslips are out and a few Fritillaries are showing long green buds on Mediaeval area.Ferns have started to show curly new fronds.
| Duck resting on its nest. | | The family of coots. |
| A flowering ramson. | | The coltsfoot. |
| Cowslip. | | The emerging ferns. |
Coot family appears to be down to 4 young, but these are doing well and growing rapidly. Daffodils going over, but Kingcups, Primroses and Violets still going strong. Ramsons now coming out well and ferns unrolling curly new fronds. Mediaeval area showing snakeshead fritillaries and cowslips full out now. Good news this week - we have been donated three Bee Orchids - very desirable. They like disturbed limey ground eg the Orchard on ex-allotment with a stone from their local area under each. Donor - Mrs Viv Johnson.
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The family of coots |  |
The kingcups on the mere |
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Primroses in the shady place |  |
Violets in the shady place |  |  |
Fritillaries in the sanctuary |
Pairs of blue, great and long-tailed tits, robin, jay, wren, dunnock, blackbird all busy around site, but not rearing young yet. Two coot families, older still has 4 surviving, the newest has 5. Many bumble bees and bee hoverflies around, feeding on nectar from , alkanet, primrose, cowslip, etc. Also out are ramsons, marsh marigold, bugle, white and pink dead-nettle, periwinkle and dandelions. Ferns are uncurling nicely, as are the new shoots of golden hop. Swan has long gone, but pair of Canada geese keep overflying.
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Great excitement during the week as the Fire Service came on site to attempt to clear the blocked borehole. The borehole was pressure-hosed, to no avail as it now appears to be obstructed by a build up of compacted chalk as occurred in the past.
Young heron seen performing characteristic ablutions. Fish survey has started and has discovered a Bullhead (or Miller's Thumb, Cottus gobio) which not known about. Also reported a Redpoll, also grey wagtail, not seen on site for a long time. Pair of swans overflew the site. Coot families down to three and one young respectively. Jay still active about the site.