A bright sunny morning with orange shafts of light shining out across the sea, glorious to be out and about.
In the woods, many of the trees are now bereft of leaves, so the calling bird should have been really easy to spot – but despite that I spent the best part of five minutes trying to spot the Goldcrest in amongst the twigs of the Sycamore – most irritating! Even more so was the Robin which was singing beautifully from the Elm, which again had no leaves and almost no twigs and still impossible to find until it flew to land on the branch of the Holm Oak.
Two gorgeous Jays wafted across the path, the white rumps showing as they moved as was their buffy pink coloured chest.
Climbing up a Holm Oak stump, was a caterpillar, about 3cm long, bright green and covered in white hairs, with some hairs tinged with reddy brown tipped hairs, on its tail a long dark red point. All these providing identification as a Pale Tussock.
Dropping into the Gorse bushes, a flock of Linnets, pink and brown flashes as they landed, this group then chattering constantly as they perched.
Overhead a few Pied Wagtails passing, plus a few Siskins, and a flock of Goldfinches. A glimpse of a Blackcap, some Chiffchaffs and a Firecrest added to the morning’s log.
Perched on the cliff outcrop was a Peregrine Falcon, its slate grey back being highlighted by the sunshine, while skimming across the water below was a Shag, the yellow gape still visible.
The tall leaves of Stinking Iris surrounded by bright orange berries, while the wispy off-white flowers of Old Man’s Beard rambles over the top of the Bramble patch.
A few Snails sliding across the paths including Garden Snail and Trapdoor Snail, while on the wall the flattened shape of the Wall Snail was distinctive.