I took my scooter round the park last weekend, along with K, Buddy, Daughter and her dog, Wren. It was a dull day, but not too cold and it was good to see some signs of Spring.
Coltsfoot, Lesser Celandine and the first Cowsllips I’ve seen this year were all in flower.
The Blackthorn is in blossom. Hopefully the frost won’t damage the flowers before they set fruit and we will get a good crop of sloes this autumn. The Hawthorns are covered in new lush green growth and will flower next month.
There were lots of waterfowl on the lake, mallard and tufted duck are breeding now as are coots. There were also mute swans and a solitary Canada goose on the water.
The park suffered extensive storm damage over the winter and was briefly closed to make it safe for visitors and to clear fallen trees from paths. The damage can still be seen in some areas but in others the cut logs have been stacked to form ‘habitat piles” providing shelter for insects and other creatures.
We spent a while watching some Newfoundland dogs in training. These huge but gentle animals were traditionally used to tow fishing boats ashore – they are strong swimmers with webbed feet and a thick double coat. They are now being trained for water rescue.
Wren’s training continues and Daughter has been taking her to gundog classes. She’s been working with tennis balls, finding them in deep undergrowth. Wren willl follow Daughter’s directions to find the ball and will retrieve up to two balls after memorising their position, walking away, then returning to the spot. It’s quite impressive to watch her work.
She’s still a playful pup most of the time but when it’s time to do her retriever training she instantly focuses on the job. She’s so good at it that she regularly finds balls left behind by other dogs, She’ll certainly never run out! –
Stitches by the Sea 