With the start of the New Year came a gorgeous sunrise, the first morning for what seems like ages when the sun was visible making for a light not dull grey walk!
To welcome in the start of 2022 a flock of Long-tailed Tits were acrobatically hanging and dangling from the thin twigs of a Wayfaring Tree, moving onto the thick rope like fronds of Traveller’s Joy, all the time their chittering calls could be heard.
It was lovely to be able to stand and admire these mostly pink and black birds, and to see the white stripe down the back of their heads as they hung.
A Robin perched on the branch of a lichen encrusted Hawthorn, the two thin white lines on the front of its wing standing out much more than usual – or maybe I was just noticing it more today?!
At sea a squadron of Guillemots was whirring past, while on the ledge hundreds more were squeezed on.
A superb few minutes was spent watching the Fulmars soaring and quartering around the clifftops, the thin grey wings so straight as they fly, such amazing birds when flying but very clumsy when on land shuffling on the elbows.
A Peregrine Falcon swooped overhead, dark grey swept back wings, spotted as it headed along the cliff.
From behind came the loud deep croak of a Raven, as it passed it characteristic features easy to see – wedge shaped tail, long wings, chunky beak and thickly feathered neck.
Always nice to see, a Roe Deer which was trotting across the path ahead, while a tearing sound was followed by a flock of Feral Pigeons whizzing through the air.