A privilege to spend a while watching two dippers nest building beside the River Dart. Just one of many amazing things to see on a beautiful spring day walking at Dartington Estate. This mixed media sketch is my response, below is the text beneath the paint.
Monday 10. April 2023
Dartington Estate
Sunshine with a chance of rain. 11°C
Warming up after a cold start. Too many layers
Mandarin duck drifting on the river current, flying back to start again
Goosander pair skimming the river as they fly upstream
Mallard. Moorhen
Pigeon
Wild garlic. Wood anemone. Celandine. Primrose
Wild daffodils almost over
New blooms of the cuckooflower
Garlic mustard. Dog’s mercury. Monk’s-hood
Cow parsley. Pignut
Brimstone. Comma
Goldcrest and blackcap soundtrack with chiffchaff, great tit and robin
Two treecreepers browsing a moss-covered oak
Long-tailed tit strangely alone
Nuthatch. Blue tit. Wren
Blackbird
Pair of dippers nest building in the riverbank. Taking turns to bring back lichens, moss, grass, leaves
Green woodpecker calling
Goldfinches
Forget-me-not