Peering over the dry stone wall and into the dell, I can hear the scratching of Squirrel claws as they scamper amongst the trees. Five of them take it turns relaying between the damp leaf covered slope, and ascending the Black Pine which stretches out at a near-horizontal angle. They’re busy. Scavenging for Holm Oak acorns, and squeaking as they chase each other around the tree trunks.
A group of 30 or so Woodpigeons fly past in unison, Crows caw from below the bridge, and Robins sing loudly amongst the canopy. I spot one of these birds with it’s red-breast displayed proudly upon a branch. It bellows out its song which rings through the trees; echoing from another robin to my left, and a then third in the distance.
I walk down towards the Observation point, listening to a Great Tit churr from the woods. A good number of runners assemble for the weekly park run, but today dressed as Santas. A fitting sight alongside the Sleigh and 9 Reindeers located outside the Castle for this season’s festive Kids Trail.
An impressive flock of 40-50 Jackdaw are alight above the clifftop trail, whilst a couple of Guillemots and Shags can be spotted below. As I walk further along the clifftop, a full colony of Guillemots are revealed, their black and white bodies huddled together on their ledge halfway up the cliffs.
The jingles of Goldfinch can be heard as I ascend the Diagonal path. It’s hard to spot these small birds when so high up and against a dull sky. Also, my attention was swiftly drawn to a gathering of three Jays in the Goat Plot. They hop between the posts and rails before disappearing over the sunny yellow Gorse.