Walking over the sodden ground towards the top of the play trail, where all the excess water is cutting a path through the leaflitter towards the drainage hole in the newly built dry-stone wall. Trying to avoid the puddles I look out to sea to see two passing Gannets flying low over the water heading towards Pevril point. A Great Black Backed Gull passes by flying past at eye level.
Arriving at the Dell two Wrens can be heard shouting at each other, it doesn’t take me long to locate the source of the noise. One is jumping around a Holm Oak white the other is lower down on a pile of brash.
On caravan terrace water cascades down wall most of which coming from the coast path above. Over the soothing sound of this running water, I can hear two Blue tits who I spot just off to the side hopping around a Blackthorn.
Heading down the path towards the cliffs I spot a large raft of Guillemots floating on the water, made up of about 30 individuals. Scanning the cliff edge, I spot a Peregrine Falcon perched in the same spot I have seen it regularly recently.
Heading towards Tilly Whim a Fulmar can be seen flying in and out of the cliff, the first I have seen in a while. Now I’m further round the cliff I can get a better view of the Peregrine which appears to quite damp probably due to last night’s down poor.
Looking back at the Guillemot ledge it’s looking rather crowded, the sounds of the birds chattering amongst themselves can be heard every now and then. While I’m watching them all at once nearly half seem to evacuate the ledge heading out to see. At first, I try to count them, but they all start to blur together and there becomes too many to count. There tiny wings work overtime to propel them out to sea. After this mass evacuation the ledge is looking emptying compared to how full it was only moments ago. Everyone on the ledge readjusts themselves obviously thankful for this newfound personal space.
When I get back to the centre and check the rain reading for the past twenty-four hours, I record a whopping 25mm of rain, that’s a lot of rain! The most we have had so far this year.