Very windy this morning as I walk out of the Learning Centre, that said, the day is much calmer than it was yesterday and the Isle of Wight fully clear to be seen from here.
Surpassing the weather station, I head towards the tarmacked Lighthouse path noticing the long Grasses, Blackthorn, Hawthorn, Holm Oaks and Stinking Iris swinging in the force of the gusts. As I reach the lighthouse path I head right, hearing a brave Robin click and spotted on Hawthorn and Old Man’s Beard in the Walling Centre.
One continues, noticing the English Channel is far calmer and more peaceful than 24 hours ago, with ripples heading away from the cliffs due to a northerly wind! As I walk, I pass European Gorse, yellow lichen species on Blackthorn, Magpie flying off in front of me, and what I thought was a Kestrel to the left of me – but turned out to be another Magpie. Reaching the bridge and the ditch, I hope to find more fauna species, but the wind was higher than I thought here and all I sore was more Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Brambles, as well as Harts-tongue fern and lots of Old Mans Beard making the ditch/valley below look almost frosty white.
Continuing I get to the electric fence towards the lighthouse, almost complete, to check if it’s still there – thank goodness it is! I then walk past the lighthouse, spotting a Shag flying east and Feral Pigeons.
Down under the Tilly Whim where there are several Cut-wave platforms, the Rock Samphire, Thrift, Sea Aster, Mosses and Lichens and other flora species can be saved from the blow hole and waves no the sea is extremely calm considering. Lots of seaweed was spotted on the two-bottom cut-wave platforms.
On the way back I walk quickly, but I see the most bird activity seen to the rest of the walk: Crows, Herring Gull, Shag, Raven, Folmar, Jackdaw on a cliff, but no Guillemots yet today! As I walk up through the car park back to the Learning Centre and hearing a Wren, I notice a leafless Spindle shrub with it’s open pink fruits still giving colour to an otherwise Autumnal/Wintery feel. Sycamore and Field Maple was also walked passed.