On the way back from watching the first of the carrot harvest I spotted this nice bunch of cattle grazing in front of Elmley Lovett church. Until the 1800s there was a grand house in this field until it was burnt to the ground one evening. On the farm we keep on drilling and planting when we can. Our theory is that at some stage the sun will shine and it will stop raining incessantly.The earliest peas, broad and runner beans are up and growing, so fingers crossed!

Some sunshine at last!

The rain continues and was heavy enough to lift this manhole cover. Despite this, Swallows arrived in good numbers yesterday, and the first Bluebells are coming into flower.

This male Great Spotted Woodpecker had been drumming loudly on the plastic box fitted to the telegraph pole. It is another sign that this years slow transition from winter to spring is gradually happening.

It is estimated that Peregrine Falcon breeding pairs have doubled in numbers in England since 2002. This success is particularly down to lowland birds that are using man-made structures to nest upon. This bird was using an electric pylon on the farm to look out for its next meal.

These Coltsfoot flowers are an early splash of colour in the wildflower meadow, and also a nectar source for early flying insects. The old boys used to smoke the leaves of this plant when they were short of tobacco.