The rain that approached from the west held off until I returned to the office such that I only felt rain spots upon on the cliff top. Goat Willow showed its fluffy buds beside the wooded coast path. Blue Tits were active beside the Long Meadow path. Another pair flew and clung onto the side of part of the Timeline wall. Perhaps looking into the crevices for insects or nesting opportunities. A Robin sang from the crown of a Sycamore at the terrace end of Dell bridge. At this end there were some thirty Primroses in flower as well as along the base of the rock face. Water trickled down the face splashing into pools of its predecessors. It was two plump Wood Pigeon that perched side by side sharing a sturdy branch perch.
When I reached Durlston Head the summits of the Isle of Wight downland pierced through cloud obscuring the rest of the island. Here a cold wind rounded the head from the west. A Magpie clucked from the Tamarisk. Today I witnessed amazing aerial interactions between a pair of Peregrine Falcons and two Ravens. Of course, the larger less agile bird was being chased and dive bombed by the falcons. At one point two Peregrines descended upon one Raven. I witnessed both birds performing aerial body rotations. At one point a Raven rotated to point its talons upwards as defence against the Peregrine pursuit. I had close views of both large black birds, one where the grass met the cliff edge and another as it hunkered down amongst the grass cover on the bank beside the coast path. All this action taking place between the Observation Point and Tilly Whim.
In addition, the sea cliff cave was packed with Guillemots such that a dozen perched on the sloping boulder surface. Despite this near 100 of the seabirds also sat in a linear raft protruding from the cliff base. Amongst them I spotted some half dozen Razorbills upon the water. Today I saw three Fulmars in action, at least thirty Jackdaws about the cliffs, several Herring Gulls were mewing, and the odd Shag flew past.
Before I headed up the diagonal path, I saw one Raven at rest upon the summit of the lowest measured mile marker. A Skylark was strongly singing somewhere upon the gully slopes. The scent from yesterday’s work party bonfire indicated a productive Gorse regrowth clearance session upon the Goat Plot. Said plot had two fluff, oval, white rump, Roe Deer pass across it as I paused.