25th March from the West Cliff Green, Bournemouth
The sea is rugged and green with big white caps. The wind is strong and galey. The grey clouds huddle together as if trying to pluck up courage to produce rain. Occasionally the sun shoulders them aside but they’re not going to be put off so easily and soon wrestle the sun away. So far, the spring seems timid and half-hearted but the banks continue with their displays of small flowers. A little patch of grape hyacinths hide among the daffodils. A pale green blackberry leaf gives us all hope for a future harvest.
From 25th March 2022
I'm not a rat expert but I do occasionally see the cheeky little fellows making a quick foray out of the undergrowth. As I did this afternoon poking its nose out from under a clifftop gorse bush. I believe this was a Black Rat as it possessed a fine, glossy, dark chocolate coat and was much smaller and nimbler than the "giant rat swam up my toilet" which is the Brown rat. Although they do a lot of damage and do carry some diseases you cannot but be charmed by their bright eyed, alert behaviour. After all we have taken other pests and nuisances to our hearts. Grey squirrels do a lot of damage and are reputed to prevent red squirrels making a come back..Foxes create real nuisances as do gulls. Magpies terrorise our song birds and deer are out of control in many woodlands, destroying young trees before they can establish. The question is, where do we do draw the nuisance line? #Bournemouth #westcliffgreen #spring #march
From 25th March 2021
A thin, high blanket of grey keeps the sun indoors. Occasionally he peeps out and sends brilliant rays down to form brilliant puddles of light and a broad pathway on the sea. Far out on the bay a tiny dot is a lone paddleboarder heading off towards Studland. The chill is keeping most of the wildlife at home today but plants are taking the opportunity to get established in the world. clumps of mallow and patches of cranesbill are growing upwards and outwards but we won't see their flowers yet. Elsewhere pink dead nettles and oxalis brighten up the shady places. Everywhere is the warm, comforting scent of garlic. Our variety, the three sided leek, is beginning to shake out its white bluebell like flowers.
