With the sky dotted with pink clouds, as the sun rose above the horizon, a flock of Jackdaws cackled their way across the sky, black features against the pink.
The colours quickly from pink to orange to gold as I walked. In the woods a Firecrest was calling, and upon looking upwards, it could be seen perched on the branch of the Hazel. For once it remained still for long enough to allow me to admire the orange jagged stripe along its head and the slash of white across its eye.
Later a couple of Goldcrests also showed themselves, both on an Elm, giving the chance to spot the differences between our two smallest birds.
A Roe Deer was standing still near the bottom of the gully, barely visible against the dead grass and scrub backdrop. Today the slight giveaway was the darker band of fur along its back.
From the cliff edge a Rock Pipit left upwards, fluttered, called and then landed again on a block of Portland Limestone.
This activity caused me to start scanning the sea, here Guillemots were whirring around, blurs of black and white skimming above the sea.
Half way up the ledge well over a hundred Guillemots were squished onto the main ledge, another 80 or so on the lower ledge. The numbers in the winter plumage dropping as they turn towards their ‘summer’ breeding plumage.
A Shag in flight, its long neck and head capped with a slight crest and on a rock a Great Black-backed Gull stood gazing seaward.
Yesterday 2 Red-throated Divers were spotted flying past – but I didn’t see any today.
Some Agrimony stems were providing a slight dull reddish tinge, these still covered in their burrs ready to grab hold of any unsuspecting animals or socks!
Fantastic view of a Bullfinch perched in the Blackthorn, a flash of white and dull pink, while a Jay squawked overhead.