A Green Woodpecker took flight from the soft Meadow Ant hill, ‘yaffling’ as it went, flashes of green and yellow lightening the dark morning.
Off to the far end – the western fields – for a scoot around and to see how the winter cutting programme is getting on, lots of dollops of cut Brambles and Gorse to be seen. This is cut so we can retain the species rich wildflower grassland, which is a very rare habitat and a speciality of this area.
A Roe Deer trotted across my path, turning to look at me as it passed. The fur now turning duller brown from the tan of earlier in the season.
A tinkle of sound and a small group of Goldfinches landed on the rambling white heads of Old Man’s Beard where they proceeded to check for seeds amongst the tufts.
A Stonechat perched on the fence post, bobbing as it ‘chatted’ in the blustery wind, while on the ground a couple of Meadow Pipits wandered.
The wet weather of the last couple of days has encouraged the molluscs to come out, with the Trapdoor Snail and Spiral Snail both sliding there way near the lighthouse. Crossing the stone stile was another differently shaped snail -the flattened Wall Snail. The Garden Snail and Brown-lipped Snail also in showing well.
Soaring above the Nautical Mile Markers was a Raven, its large black body easy to recognise, being so much larger than the Jackdaws that were twisting and tumbling around the clifftops.
Along the hedgerows the bright orange berries of the Stinking Iris showing up, while the bright pink berries of European Spindle add more colour to the green and brown backdrop.