A quick nip into the Bird Hide as I started, where flitting backwards and forwards around the feeders were Great Tits, Blue Tits and a Dunnock. These were followed by a Goldfinch and a Chaffinch.
Watching this activity was great way to get close up views of these common birds, to see the colours and markings of their feathers.
As I watched my eye was caught by a movement at the top of an Elder, the bird here was about the size of a Robin, but slimmer, with brown body and topped with a yellow striped face – a Cirl Bunting, one of a few sightings of this bird this last week. Hopefully they will remain to breed again this year.
Off out into the chilly wind, where I was delighted to be able to watch a Kestrel hovering magnificently just above the tussocks of rough grass, the ability of these birds of prey to maintain their position, wings vibrating while the head remains still never ceases to amaze and fascinate me!
The Cherry Plum tree is now in full bloom, with a covering of delicate white blossom flowers, with pale yellow at their centres. Alongside these the Ivy is sporting some wonderful juicy purple berries – these late berries of Ivy very important for many birds in late winter / early spring.
Across the meadows, spring flowers are starting to show (if you look really closely) with a few Cowslips having poked their yellow heads upright, the stems of these early one barely showing above the grass! Hopefully the start of thousands in a few weeks.
From above these fields came the cascading song of a Skylark, another one was standing on the ground, and yet another just taking flight and uttering a few notes.
Down by the cliffs the Guillemots are once more in occupation of the ledges, with a few scattered on the water.
Skimming around the cliff-edges 4 Fulmars, their thin straight wings such an easily identifiable feature.
A flash of grey, tearing along the cliff was a Peregrine Falcon, speeding along disappearing round the head.