I start in the Bird Hide to pick up some old binoculars, here I spot House Sparrows, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, a Greenfinch, and Great Tits, as well as the sound of Robins, and the Corvids: Crows, Jackdaws and magpies. When leaving I head left towards Field 34, where I spot lots of Wood Pigeons, here I notice the bright orange from the seeds of Stinking Iris that is so attractive for bird species to fest on.
A call of a Wren and walking between a Field Maple and an Ash, and through a gate means I’m on South Field. Here, a cool blustery wind takes over my body as Crows can be heard all above me making it feel like a Halloween movie scene. Walking on to keep warm the cut and grazed grass exposes the Yellow Meadow Ant mounds where they have been nesting in the past, and towards Small Copse, Ash can be seen showing signs of dieback – the dark patches on the compound leaves being a likely sign of Ash Dieback.
Heading towards Lighthouse field, I am surprised to spot a Red Admiral butterfly pass me and onto a Holm Oak leaf in Lighthouse Field, I walk into Lighthouse Field bemused and excited at seeing it in late October where the wind is fairly high and it’s only 12c. I walk on down beside Goats Plot, old and brown Wild Carrot past it’s time is seen between a clump of Purbeck stone there are many patches of European Gorse and Old-mans Beard, as well as the odd Bristly Oxtoungue and Hawkweed Oxtoungue. The mile towers whistle with an eery sound as the wind goes through them, here I look down and spot a tiny plant with small pink flowers – I believe it is a type of Centaury plant species, nearby shells from Striped Snails and a couple of Pointed Snails are spotted.
Walking on, I reach the cliff top and past the gate onto the clifftop trail. Past Tilly Whim I see the Guillemots still roosting on the cliff side cave, I notice they are in their non-breeding plumage: During breeding season they have white bellies whilst the rest of the body is dark brown, but this time of year the Guillemots have white necks and lower faces. Walking back I go through the copse. Goldcrest, Wren and a Chaffinch are heard and seen inside, a Grey Squirrel is spotted whilst another Red Admiral is seen above the Canopy, so too are the noisy Rooks and Jackdaws.