What a fantastic wind, the gusts reaching 64mph overnight, and blowing at 40+ as I took my morning walk. With the pouring rain this made for a very wet and at times painful experience as the water was being fired at me like little daggers!
As I hid behind a patch of Blackthorn scrub waiting for a squall to pass over, I was not alone, hopping around the base was a Dunnock, while in the branches a Blackbird was sheltering as was a Wren, all allowing me a close-up experience as none of us was for venturing out.
The seas were churning, a mucky brown-grey with the crests of the waves a frothy dirty white. Floating on this, dark shapes of seaweed which has been torn from the seabed, mostly Kelp, forming dark strings and matts.
The strength of the wind keeping most birds at bay – although a Peregrine took off flew sideways, upwards and then backwards, before regaining some control. Lower down a Shag was skimming just above the waves, but nothing else showing.
Out in the meadows, lots of Horse Mushrooms and some small Puffballs and some now soggy Shaggy Inkcaps
A Pheasant was disturbed, not looking very elegant as she veered towards the copse to land amongst the tall, dark green leaves of Stinking Iris, which are interspersed with clumps of bright orange berries.
As I write the sun is emerging, patches of blue sky and shafts of sunlight! With this change in conditions a flock of Meadow Pipits flew over and some Goldfinches landed in the Hawthorn. A flock of 50 or so Wood Pigeons also zooming across.
A few bits of destruction from the overnight wind including the weather station (Stevenson’s Screen) being blown off its legs, various branches scattered across the road and paths and bins upside down!
As the weather improves, keep an eye on the sky, where yesterday a Merlin was watched chasing a flock of finches.