My walk today, took me once more up on to the downs overlooking the Cuckmere valley. Here on the escarpment, elder bloom holds sway in the hedgerow, and the cultivated crop in the field beyond is bordered with a wide swathe of bright red poppies. The downland turf here has come alive. Clovers, black medick, selfheal, stitchwort and dove's-foot cranesbill sprinkle the grass with colour whilst both red and white campion bloom at the foot of the hedgerows. Hugging the steep slopes of the path down to the valley, the prickly but gorgeous blue flower; viper's bugloss is abundant and wild thyme is beginning to bloom.
Down in the valley hound's tongue, scarlet pimpernell, and deadly nightshade are all in flower, with the white heads of hemlock towering above, almost at head-height. Bittersweet and white bryony are also in bloom, twining their stems amongst the taller plants. As well as the elder, dog rose shares it's delightful flowers all across the valley. Pausing to sit under the trees for a while I listened to the breeze as it gently stirred the leaves in the canopy above me. In the distance, the calls of linnet, white throat, black cap and chiff chaff filled the air.
Walking alongside the dykes lots of blue damselflies could be seen and a few of the big southern hawker dragonflies. Magnificent creatures! A little water crowfoot still flowers, whilst amidst the margins water mint and waist-height water dock can be found.
Back on the river bank I suddenly spotted a shoal of about fifteen mullet just below the water's surface. Closer to Exceat bridge ox-eye daisy and wild carrot are beginning to bloom.
It was here that I decided to extend my walk all the way to Friston Pond near East Dean. This took me through the deep, green shade of Friston forest; a welcome balm after the noise of the main road.
Walking alongside the dykes lots of blue damselflies could be seen and a few of the big southern hawker dragonflies. Magnificent creatures! A little water crowfoot still flowers, whilst amidst the margins water mint and waist-height water dock can be found.
Back on the river bank I suddenly spotted a shoal of about fifteen mullet just below the water's surface. Closer to Exceat bridge ox-eye daisy and wild carrot are beginning to bloom.
It was here that I decided to extend my walk all the way to Friston Pond near East Dean. This took me through the deep, green shade of Friston forest; a welcome balm after the noise of the main road.
In many of the more sunlit places great masses of old man's beard swept over and engulfed scrub and fallen tree with their foliage whilst here and there I also came across another magnificent climber; black bryony. In the deep shade beneath the trees hart's-tounge fern grew.