Exciting news from the cliffs where the first Guillemot egg of the season has been spotted! The birds are crammed onto the ledge, holding the smallest of territories, just big enough for the adults to stand. The new egg was given away by the slumped over body of the parent, a slight bulge showing, but it took a while to be sure it wasn’t lying on a rock of just practising! But no, there on the webbed feet was a large pyriform (pear-shaped) egg, being incubated – this egg will take about 30days before it hatches and be looked after by both parents.
Come into the visitor centre to see it and the other birds live on the screen.
Elsewhere on the cliffs Razorbills are occupying holes in the rock face, a pair of Herring Gulls were perched on the tufts of Thrift and a Great Black-backed Gull stood on its usual spot.
Flying round were 4 Fulmars, a constant circling and stalling, quite fascinating to watch, while on the water over one hundred Guillemots and Razorbills were scattered like confetti.
Standing on the cappers of the wall was a Raven, the huge black bird, showing off its shaggy neck was dwarfing the Jackdaw which was alongside.
Suddenly the high-pitched call of an Oystercatcher, caught my attention as there flying just above the water surface was this other black and white bird, its long orange beak leading the way.
On the downs a male Roe Deer stood still, the antlers silhouetted against the bright background as the sun rose.
A Stonechat was perched on the Gorse, this orange, black and white bird ‘chatting’ loudly, while nearby the twittering of pink-fronted Linnets catching the ear.
Our fruit trees of Wild Apple and Wild Cherry are blossoming beautifully, while the Sloe blossom on the Blackthorn is now going over.