Zip-a-dee-doo-dah

“My, oh my what a wonderful day

Plenty of sunshine heading my way

Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay”

The Disney classic song from Song of the South film summed up this day perfectly. We’d plenty of sunshine. After the coldest spring for 50 years, the summer month of June had a lot to make up for when it arrived. And it didn’t disappoint, ushering in warm temperatures and clear skies across the UK. Dry weather with delicious spells of long,crisp, twinkling sunshine. It was often said that there was no more beautiful thing on earth than a sunny day in Ole Blighty, and a sunny June day in England had to be the best thing of all. It was worth dropping everything and going out and lapping up the sunshine.   

In fields across the country rapeseed or oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and buttercups were in full bloom, turning huge swathes of the rural countryside with great swathes and sheets of gold, stunning bright, vibrant  and yellow. They added much needed colour to the green patchwork of gleaming green fields with sheep and horses grazing under the sun. Very pretty, although I know those who suffer from pollen allergies won’t agree with me. But, hey, I do suffer hay fever. Itchy, watery eyes, runny nose … you name it, I have it. And I still enjoy these lovelies …

“Blessed the Lord for the Beauty of summer and spring, for the air, the water, the verdure, and the song of birds.”

~Carl von Linnacus~

On such a lovely day, we went for an hour drive to Paxton Pits Nature Reserve in Cambridgeshire. One of Brandon regulars, GH, mentioned that he was going to check this place out and we thought we might as well do the same. It was 20C in the car and it was only 10am. The GPS took us on a different route to what we were expecting and the 79 miles took about 1 hour 25 minutes driving in the glorious sunshine.

After freshening up, exchanging pleasantries with the friendly wardens and purchasing a brochure, we checked out the grounds of the visitors’ centre. A Jay made an appearance at the bird-feeder and according to the warden, this was the first time he saw a Jay feeding at the feeder. The usual Reed buntings, Green finches, Chaffinches, Great and Blue Tits were also taking turns on the bird table. We checked the pond full of sun-bathing frogs and Smooth Newts hiding among the broad-leaved pondweed. We spotted these scarecrows in situ, taking part in the annual Little Paxton Scarecrow Festival.

Paxton Pits was a 77 hectares of lakes, meadow, grassland, scrub and woodland. We decided to walk along the muddy Meadow trail first. Speckled Woods fluttered about in the dappled shade of the woodland edge bedecked with white flowers of the Hawthorn blossoms and pinkish Dog roses. Common Blue settled on the Buttercups. The meadows was a sea of yellow as far as the eye could see. These were managed as a hay meadow. Grazed by cows and then cut for hay encouraged a variety of wildflowers.

I often roam a minute from the path
Just to luxuriate on the new mown swath
& stretch me at my idle length along
Hum louder oer some melody or song
While passing stranger slackens in his pace
& turns to wonder what can haunt the place
Unthinking that an idle ryhmster lies
Buried in the sweet grass & feeding phantasys
This happy spirit of the joyous day
Stirs every pulse of life into the play
Of buoyant joy & extacy---I walk
& hear the very weeds to sing & talk
Of their delights as the delighted wind
Toys with them like playfellows ever kind.

~John Clare (1793-1864) ‘The Meadow Hay’~

Deep within the scrub, woodland and other songbirds sang in seeming celebration of both stunning weather and this most beautiful of seasons. From the open water of Rudd Lake, we saw territorial Mute Swans, Common Mallards and Coots, some still sitting on eggs. We walked on the boardwalk to cross the wet meadows, Yellow Iris provided a lot of colour. Rushes with their straight cylindrical stems and brown spikes were popping everywhere. These beds of reeds were important for birds like the Reed warblers. They wove intricate nests out of grasses between them.

We walked along Hayling Lake and was stalked by a Cetti Warbler, heard but not seen. Common Terns were practising their fishing techniques, dropping sticks and flying after them. We continued walking along the path that backed a housing estate and the sheltered path were teeming with fledglings. They were either practicing their flying skills or were waiting patiently to be fed. After passing through the well-tended allotments, we retraced our steps back to the visitor centre.

Along the way, we spotted a Sparrow Hawk and a Hobby riding the waves. A Reed Warbler was singing its heart out on the tree top. I checked the wet meadows for Common Spotted Orchids but it was too early for them to bloom. After about 2 hours, we completed the circular trail and headed for the car to recharge our batteries. It was 29C when we ate our beef sandwiches, all washed down with litres of ligonberry juice.

Then we tackled another circular walk, the Hero n Trail, past lakes, through woodland and along the riverbanks. As we walked through a thicket of bramble, we were entertained by Long-tail Tits taking a short break on the electrical lines. To our left, was Heronry Lake, the oldest gravel pit in the Reserve. It looked like a creche because we saw a few gangly, noisy juvenile herons waiting patiently to be fed. The sighting of our first dragon-fly kept us occupied. Was it a Norfolk Hawker???

We continued on, walking in the shade, trying to keep away from the strong rays of the sun. Cuckoo calls echoed around us. At Hayden Hide, a Great Spotted Woodpecker was playing hide-and-seek with us. We gave this hide a miss because it was full of school children. At a rough grassland interspersed with Hawthorn and Dog Rose, a group of people were looking intently at something. They heard a Nightingale and was trying to see one. Between the end of April and the beginning of June, the males sing to attract a mate. This reserve was a hot spot for these birds. Unfortunately today, it was too hot to be seen.

We checked out the very windy and cool Kingfisher, a nice welcome from the hot weather, not that I’m complaining. A Mute Swan was chasing after every swan in sight. A Great Crested Grebe swam past the hide. Buoyant Black-headed gulls were bobbing up and down the lake. Another visitor spotted a fox feeding at the opposite end of the lake. I spotted 2 Red Crested Pochards swimming leisurely at the end of the lake. Why on earth were everything so far away?

We chilled out in the hide. It was peaceful and comforting. Not much about except for Tufted  ducks demonstrating their spectacular diving skills and Cormorants flying in circles. Babe commented that why was the hide named Kingfisher when such named bird was never seen. And guess what. Not one but 2 Kingfishers flew past with its shrill calls trailing and straight into the island that was close to the hide. It was hilarious :-0.  

We continued the trail through meadowland along an ancient hedgerow. This route followed the River Great Ouse but we decided not to walk further. Both of us were exhausted and Babe had a long way to drive home. Cuckoo calls were getting closer but we still can’t see them. Whitethroats were busy flirting among the hedges hunting for food. We went to the visitor centre to freshen up, had coffee and ice-cream. We might check this place again, especially the trails that we’d not been through.

This week the Hitless Squad had another game of rounders against Sons of Lupin again. The last time we played, we’d to stop at the first inning because of the atrocious weather conditions. It was a lovely evening as the sun came out to cheer us on. And we still lost 26:10 :-( . Oops… But a few days later, we found out that the History Society had forfeited a match which meant that we got our first point. woop…woop. Big smiles all around :-)

Then it was time to say good-bye to EC who was leaving for greener pastures up north. It was quite sad to see good friends leaving. But, then, we got to meet new colleagues and, fingers-crossed,  new friends. All the best EC and we promised to stay in touch.

“In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, for in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.”

~Kahlil Gibran ~

 

We also checked out 2 air-shows, so far. There were so many being held around the country. We chose the one which was closer to home and affordable. It was a different atmosphere and I think they deserved their own posting. I had a wonderful time under the sun and I hoped the sun, too, had shone on you this week. After all it was officially summer.

“Summer is a promissory note signed in June, its long days spent and gone before you know it, and due to be repaid next January.”

~Hal Borland~