Hearing a skylark is like listening to liquid sunshine

SPRING is now officially here and it is at this time of year I get very excited for several reasons British summer time begins next weekend. As the weather warms up it will trigger new life.

Tree buds will start to swell ready to burst into leaf, the birds are already pairing up singing the dawn chorus and that always puts a smile on my face.

Whilst walking through the woods the other morning I sat down against an old oak tree and had a nice cup of early morning coffee from my flask with my two best friends, my springer spaniel and my black labrador.

I just could not help but sit there looking around listening to the birds singing and think how very lucky we are to have this amazing asset and beauty on our doorstep.

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Then I heard the screech of a male nuthatch above my head. It rang out through the woods as I looked up it was running head first down a tree and disappeared into a hole. So I have noted its location and will be keeping an eye on this tree to see whether or not the bird will make its nest there. This is the only species of bird in this country that can run head first down a tree.

The rest can only wind their way up such as birds like the treecreeper another tiny woodland bird. I even heard the song of a bird that nowadays is the Skylark,

Ray Mears once described hearing the skylark singing on a spring morning was like listening to liquid sunshine.

I discovered another lost relic of the past history here at Stoke Park. A large ornamental piece of stone work that once graced the 18th century barn in one of the woods. If only it could speak I wonder what stories it could tell of the once most famous landscape in England for over 450 years.

As I continued my early morning walk I was thinking about what an exciting future this park holds for all the people of Bristol , who have always wondered about its famous yellow castle on the hill and the stone monument that sits on the opposite hill above Duchess lake

For the all the latest events coming up at Stoke Park log on to Stoke Park Estate facebook page and go to events page. looking forward to meeting you all.

Steve England is an (RHS) horticulturist, amateur naturalist and chairman of the Stoke Park steering group. He lives in Lockleaze and has spent his whole life at Stoke Park from playing there as a boy to studying its history, wildlife, and pre historic past. Contact him at newlook388@aol.com