After a wet and stormy night, with 8.9mm of rain, a breezy but bright start to the day, with some huge white breakers rolling across a brightening sea and the sun starting to break through a veil of mist.
On Caravan Terrace, signs of spring are starting to appear. Among the turf, the first pale yellow Primroses are starting to appear, along with the bright pink flowers of Herb Robert. Not yet in bloom, but new leaves of Madder, St. John’s Wort, Dog Violet and Lord and Ladies are pushing up out of the wet earth, with Green Alkanet also in leaf nearby.
A Goldcrest dips in and out of the dark green leaves of a Holm Oak, with Chaffinches, Long-tailed Tits, Blue Tits and a Bullfinch darting among the scrub below the bridge. The wheezing of Great Tits rings out from all around.
A Rock Pipit, so well camouflaged against the grey rocks of the clifftop, it is almost invisible until it moves seen just before the Observation Point, with a raft of Guillemots and Razorbills bobbing on the water below. Fulmars carve smoothly through the air, in contrast to the jerky flight of a flock of Jackdaws – almost like pinballs bouncing around in the air.
A Peregrine glides by, just below the clifftop, as a Raven circles above Goat Plot, with a Black Redstart once again hopping among the rocks at Tilly Whim.
In the woodland, delicate Spring Crocuses are starting to bloom near the Aviary Glade, with the vivid green spikes of Snowdrops, tall leaves of Daffodils and delicate leaves of Cow Parsley also appearing.
Hazel catkins are in flower around the edge of the Glade, while a Sallow, below the bridge is covered in fluffy catkins and a Wild Cherry, at the top of the Lighthouse Road is covered in white flowers.
Also seen this morning, a Green Woodpecker, bobbing along above Long Meadow, several Jays in the woodland and a Pied Wagtail strutting across the short turf near the Learning Centre.