I walk out the learning centre passing the weather station box, here I see a Magpie and Robin fluttering about amongst the shrub. I pass and open the gate onto the south side of south field, to the right there is long grass, old dying Ragwort. To the left of me there is Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Nettles, a healthy-looking Wild Parsnip on top of an Ant Hill, as well as a Hawthorn with mosses and Wild Madder.
Walking into the next field I see a Sparrow Hawk perched on an old Blackthorn stump smothered in Ivy and surrounded by Brambles, as I approached, I see it fly away towards the lighthouse. I waited by the shrub where the Sparrow Hawk was sitting, here I heard many Robins, a Meadow Pipit, Wren, Goldcrest, then I spot a Blackbird singing along. I look away from the English Channel and I spot Kestrel flying low in amongst the shrubs behind a line of Dry-Stone Wall – possibly trying to catch some prey within the thorny bushes.
I then go behind another gate, here I am surrounded by Sycamore, Blackthorn, Brambles, Hawthorn, Stinking Iris, as well as plenty of mud.
After walking past here I had to walk back to the castle quickly, I put on the Merlin app to record what is being heard as I walk fast. Great Tit, Meadow Pipit, Goldfinch, Crow, Rook and Jackdaw.
One final Word of note, I was horrified by the amount of litter on the top end of the car park – lots of vapes, cans and food wrappings, as well as plastic bags – this seems to be done on purpose. We rangers hate telling people what to do, but when we are trying to put our effort into helping the wildlife that reside on our park and then to see that some people just blatantly don’t care by littering makes my blood boil. Remember there is a National Nature Reserve on our site too so please be mindful that there are other species trying to live here.
PLEASE USE OUR BINS, OR TAKE YOUR RUBISH HOME, THIS SHOULD APPLY EVERYWHERE NOT JUST OUR PARK! Thankyou.