MY HOUR-LONG daily exercise walk took me to a small grassy knoll by the edge of the Ochils overlooking Strathdevon.

In the sky above, a wonderful liquid trilling rained down a sweet and gentle melody.

It was a skylark, soaring ever higher on flickering wings and spilling forth its wonderful music. It then glided down, before rising once more into the air.

William Wordsworth described the song as '…joy divine in that song of thine' and it is hard to imagine a more wonderful sound than that of a skylark in full flow.

Indeed, it was a good day to be out and about in this part of Clackmannanshire, with spring wildflowers now beginning to bloom in abundance, including colts-foot, primroses and red campion.

Colts-foot is a common plant in the Ochils, the flower of which superficially resembles a dandelion.

It is so-named because the large leaves – which emerge after flowering – are shaped like a hoof.

Yellow comes in all shades and tints, but there is surely no shade of yellow that compares in brightness and vibrancy as that found on our wild primroses.

Primroses deliver such dazzling freshness, little orbs of joyous sunshine. Primrose – prima rosa – the first rose or flower of the year, and one which for generations have been picked as Easter decorations for churches across the land.

As I descended the hill and passed a woodland edge, a chiffchaff sang its distinctive two-tone call.

Some people find its song to be rather monotonous. It is not an opinion I share.

For the simple song has a reassuring quality, and when other warblers have fallen silent in August, the little chiffchaff will continue to sing, albeit not as enthusiastically as before.