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Friday 16 February, 2024

The yellows of a few Celandine flowers were beneath Field Maple, and that of the Daffodils, outside the castle, brighten the morning. I felt the need to check electric fence lines before the weekend. Some Hereford Cattle were in the goat plot, two scratched against a measured mile post and others were around the gully rock exposure. I heard them tearing up grass, had one slip downslope towards me as I struggled through poached clay up the steep slope. I various locations they had Magpie and Jackdaw “followers” near their hooves.

I found a fresh looking, but small, Garden Snail, upon Gorse needles. Upon a Bramble clump was a Dunnock. I lent against the telegraph to use my binoculars to scan the gully. Near the bridge a Kestrel perched upon a Hawthorn. I was not to witness its flight; I heard its calls then found it also hunkered in against another telegraph pole on my line. It pleased me to hear a Stonechat, it perched on a Bramble “tentacle” poking through scrub. A pair were also seen near the demo quarr and a lone male in South Field.

On the ledge more Guillemots while Fulmars and a Shag also in flight. A mischief of five Magpies were near the Small Copse. Over the Black Pines of the Large Copse, a Carrion Crow pair appeared to mob an encroacher in their territory. A colourful Bullfinch fled a scrub clump, in Southfield, with a partner. South Field. Skylarks were only heard whilst Chaffinches were also seen. Spore cups of a Branching lichen were noted upon Elder.


  By Paul Jones

Todays Information

Weather

Min Temp: 8.3
Max Temp: 13.9
Gusts: 23
Rainfall: 2.8
Outlook: Breeze & sunny spell

Media

Image title: Bullfinch
Image by: Greg Lee
Audio File 1: Bullfinch