What a morning, water, water everywhere!
Even after the rain started yesterday evening I was surprised to see the amount of water lying on the ground – puddles, streams and ponds had developed overnight! The 34.9mm of rain that had fallen landing on the already sodden ground and running downhill.
A Jay squawked and swept past me as I paddled along, a flash of pale pink and blue – about the only bright spot so far.
As a positive this is the time to check the drains and easements which mostly were working well in the woods. A Robin perched on the capper of a dry-stone wall as another swayed on the branch of a Snowberry bush. The Winter Heliotrope flower spikes visible, but the almond smell certainly not to be found.
The sound of trees swaying and creaking accompanied me, Sycamore and Holm Oak, plus the twigs of London Plane, while on the rough bark of the Black Poplar was a Wren hidden amongst the crevices.
Two black and white Magpies were hopping in the puddles on the short grassy turf of the Lighthouse field as the rain drops were being blown viciously at me. A Chaffinch was partially hidden in the Blackthorn bush while the dark grey head of a Dunnock poked its head out of its shelter amongst the Ivy.
Down on the cliff, the grey sea seething as it arrived at the rock face, the swell a mass of white water, no bird or other wildlife to be spotted at sea – although difficult to sea with the rain, wind and dull light!
However perched on the ledges, 100 or so Guillemots, their black and white erect bodies standing obviously to be seen. As I watched a few took flight, wings whirring as they flew out then around in a large circle before heading into the south-westerly wind.
Others remained on the ledge for now, but these will be leaving again, usually by mid-morning, as they return to the sea – we don’t know where they spend the day - but come back tomorrow morning and they will probably be on the ledges again.