Sweeping across the blue sky a constant stream of Swallows, the sun gleaming on the dark blue plumage, House Martins also flitting amongst them, as they turned their white rump could be seen, the easy identifier for this species.
As I headed into the strong westerly wind the Blackthorn and Brambles ahead seemed to be alive with Stonechats, their orange breasts showing as they perched. As I watched these birds at least 20 were spotted, a wide range of colours and markings to be seen, from white necks and black heads to paler brown heads and almost no collar.
A flock of Meadow Pipits were on the ground, mostly hidden amongst the tufts of Tor Grass and Tall Fescue. They took off as a flock, twittering and tweeting as they went.
Bird galore it seemed in that place and that time, including those undulating across the sky. A Yellow Wagtail, unusually, close enough to see as it flew past and a Pied Wagtail also went across, the sound of it blowing in the wind.
Up onto Round Down, emerging from the grasses was a Woodlark, a deep melodious song as it took flight from the ground, followed by another and another, their dark brown and pale yellow streaks spotted as they flew.
From where they had been, a Meadow Brown butterfly appeared and as I watched I spotted a Wall Brown was spread out on the limestone wall, seeking the sun’s rays to warm it on this chilly morning.
Looking down at the ground, a few yellow spikes of Agrimony were in flower as well as the prickly Bristly Ox-tongue.
Returning along the more sheltered upper gully, the sound of Bullfinches coming from the scrub, so a bit of time spent attempting to spot them, eventually, having found Robins, Dunnocks, Common Whitethroat and a Wren, two Bullfinches discovered, the white rump flashing as it moved into the branches of the Apple tree.
My final white rumped bird of the morning was a Jay, its flight pattern reminding me of a ‘wafting’ action!
More Swallows zooming past as a Kestrel hovered, across the ground a Common Shrew disappeared into the grasses.
Suddenly popping up form a Hawthorn was a Whinchat – a distinct stripe across its eye could be seen as it perched.