On a warm sunny day Chris Ash led 15 members on a circular walk starting at the Bird-in-Hand (Sonning Common). From the car park we could hear a Chiffchaff calling and a Great spotted Woodpecker drumming. As we approached Crowsley village a long hedgerow of Blackthorn was flowering on one side of the fields where the Polo ponies were grazing and overwintering. On a roadside verge beyond the village we found a patch of Leopard’s-bane just showing leaf growth, alongside Lesser Celandine, Barren Strawberry and close to a Cherry Plum in blossom. After crossing the road and entering Crowsley Park we saw patches of Primroses and numerous veteran Lime trees bedecked in Mistletoe. A Green Woodpecker was seen flying fast and low into the trees. The acres of open fields were full of Polo ponies and the ground was covered in un-rotted dung. Red Kites were gliding all around. A large and very old Field Maple, virtually hollow at the base seemed to be thriving in the open. The route circled back round the margins of arable fields and below Crowsley village we saw Field Pansy, Germander Speedwell and Stork’s-bill. On the slope up to the car park two (unidentified) butterflies were seen.
