We are all a bit Springwatch crazy here which, hopefully, is forgivable. The living green roof went onto the studio today and the ultra rustic balcony takes shape.
But it’s not difficult here to bring yourself down to earth again with a wildlife encounter around just about every corner.
The European hare is thought of as a bit mad at certain times of year. One trotted past me today, nose to the ground, as if I wasn’t there. It’s all about love (well, lust actually) and I had witnessed a preoccupied male following the scent of a female. If he had caught up with her, and she wasn’t quite in the mood, a spot of “boxing” would have followed, something more easily seen earlier in the year when the vegetation is shorter.
The hare as a species is struggling in the UK. We recently lost most of ours when we became the target for hare coursing (illegal since the Hunting Act 2002)
Let’s hope our remaining hares get a chance to recover their numbers.
On a more cheerful note; a pair of coal tits has built a nest in the dry stone wall beside the visitor centre, much to the delight of any sharp eyed visitor. They fly into and out of the wall so quickly it looks like a convincing disappearing act.
Late passage migrants can still be found and today several whimbrel made their way down the estuary.