Beautiful amber rays glow upon the tree trunks in the woodland, with a Chaffinch’s call filling the air. The sun now rising just before 8am, and today through a pink cloudless sky. Visibility is good. The southern-most tip of the Isle of Wight can be seen around 46km away amongst the haze on the horizon.
The evergreen foliage of Bay and Holly are providing a good cover for the birds through the winter. I spend a little while watching a Blue Tit scampering around from within the safety of the thicket of leaves and branches.
A group of Woodpigeons race across the sky above me, and Crows caw from the very tops of the trees, their calls echoing through the bare canopy.
A female Blackbird rustles through the fallen leaves at Sunnydale; she overturns leaves in search for an early morning snack, and reveals the fresh leaves of Daffodils and Three-cornered Leek sprouting from the earth.
A Robin watches on from a nearby log, occasionally puffing up its orangey-red breast: The colour somewhere between that of the fruits – bright orange Stinking Iris and ruby-red Cherry Laurel berries.
More colour can be found across Sunnydale with occasional winter blooms; sunny yellow Mahonia flowers still remain, and the rose-pink blossoms which adorn the Autumnalis Rosea Cherry.
The woodland wallers are progressing well with the dry stone wall along the boundary with Long Meadow. I received another delivery of stone this morning. The loud tumbling of rocks providing the only disturbance to an otherwise calm and quiet walk.