It had been quite a while since my last expedition, so eagerlly I head for the downs on a cool, breezy morning with the sky filled with big, fluffy white cloads. The tree-lined road beyond Seaford cemetary was clad with dense banks of cow parsley, alkanet, and cleavers and the trees were now green and full. Atop Frog Firle the hedgerow also was brimming with leafy growth and here I found the white blooms of hawthorn beginning to show. Such a delight to see. Beneath the hedge a few wild bluebells flowered alongside the taller blooms of white campion.
Along the ecscarpment which runs pararell with the river, purple patches of ground ivy still flowered and the turf was beginning to show the odd buttercup, daisy and field speedwell too. Down the treacherous slope into the valley, field forget-me-not, salad burnet and the lovely pink flowers of common stork'sbill could be seen.
Once down in the valley I followed the path as it hugged the skirts of the hill. Here, big banks of nettle, tall thistles and clumps of burdock were predominant whilst hemlock was already up to chest height. The broad carpets of silverweed were beginning to flower too. Under the trees at the end of the path, white comfrey still bloomed and a blackcap shared it's sweet song.
Crossing the river I began exploring the dykes, many of which were still carpeted with the gorgeous white blooms of water crowfoot. In the damp margins water dock was now up to knee height and the little yellow flowers of celery-leaved buttercup could be found, together with some patches of that lovely spring flower; lady's smock. Lots of birds were about including chaffinches, goldfinches, yellowhammers and greenfinches plus that newly-arrived summer visitor the whitethroat with it's scratchy warble; a beautiful bird to see close-up. As I walked, I suddenly disturbed a family of little mallard chicks into hurried escape and watched as their mother splashed noisily behind, feigning injury.
Further along the river bank, I also had the rare glimpse of a sedge warbler as it sang it's mad, old fashioned computerised song from a nearby bush. This summer visitor isn't a rare bird, but they're notoriously difficult to spot, often choosing to sing from deep within reed beds. The bankside turf is now beginning to be burst into beds of golden buttercup bloom, dotted here and there with red clover, daisy and common vetch. And along a grassy bank I found this lovely group of cowslips nodding together in the breeze.
Further along the river bank, I also had the rare glimpse of a sedge warbler as it sang it's mad, old fashioned computerised song from a nearby bush. This summer visitor isn't a rare bird, but they're notoriously difficult to spot, often choosing to sing from deep within reed beds. The bankside turf is now beginning to be burst into beds of golden buttercup bloom, dotted here and there with red clover, daisy and common vetch. And along a grassy bank I found this lovely group of cowslips nodding together in the breeze.