Another very dark start to the early patrol, the sky a low cloud covered grey, with a strong south-westerly wind, not ideal for wildlife spotting!
However, the resident species were moving about and showing themselves, this included the rotund Wood Pigeons, two of which were perched on the branches of an Elder, the pale purple neck and white collar easy to see. Such a noisy bird, no disguising their presence as they took off with a crash.
In the scrub a Wren was calling and producing a rattling trill as it finished its tune, another noisy bird especially for its size.
The sound of leaves being turned was tracked down the understory, the leaves of the Hawthorns and Blackthorns have fallen to the ground, and here two Blackbirds were searching through looking for snippets for breakfast.
Lots of mud around at the moment, we have had 30mm, of rain in January so far! To avoid the worst of it, aim for the clifftop trail and the woodland trail.
On the downland, a close look at the turf saw hundreds of snail shells, many empty and including the small spiral Cochlicella acuta. Many of these can be seen attached onto the stems of dead grasses, and are thought to be aestivating, in a period of inactivity and low metabolic function, waiting for the right conditions to move, feed and breed.
The sky was lightening as I walked back along the coastal path, and at sea a few glorious white Gannets skimming the water.
On the ledges the black and white upright shapes of Guillemots were to the seen, and more speeding around in circles just off the rocks.
Two fantastic Fulmars were soaring, enabling really good views as they came close to the tops of the cliff, the black ring of feathers around their eyes showing well.
The water crashing over the rocks, a faint plume of spray emerging from the hole in the rocks.