It was beautifully sunny this morning with the looming threat of clouds! Longmeadow had lots of foraging birds on its verges, including Song Thrush, Chaffinch, Dunnock, Robin and Blackbird.
As I entered the woodland on Solent Road I went in search of some invertebrate life. I quickly sifted through a bit of woodchip and out squirmed a Polydesmus angustus – Flat-backed Millipede, my new favourite invertebrate having met one a couple weeks back. They look like a stretched-out woodlouse!
Lots of the log edging and log piles are proving excellent for fungi, including Jelly Ear Fungus which is usually found on Elder but has found its way onto some Sycamore logs. It is also edible, which is always fun, but as it’s got the texture of a floppy ear so it hasn’t sold itself to me.
Elsewhere in the woodland, several loose flocks of Great and Blue Tits were passing through and near the dead hedge, a Tawny Owl risked a daylight hoot.
Back out on the meadows a Skylark flew up overhead very briefly before hiding in a larger tussock of grass. Plenty of Meadow Pipits around, I counted 15 this morning. Overhead, passed a charm of Goldfinch and another of Siskin.
The stunning male Black Redstart with its flame red rump was super active around the lighthouse this morning. Rock Pipits pecked around the cliff sides and Feral Rock Pigeons darted in and out of Tilly Whim Caves.
Guillemot ledge was filled to the brim again this morning. Several more were bobbing out on the water but were vastly outnumbered by their cooler cousin, the Razorbill, which I counted over 40. Two Fulmars patrolled the cliffs and several other coastal birds including Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull and Shag passed by.