What a dull grey start, but out over the water the Peveril Ledge light was showing bright red and further out a boat, had decorate white lights all along its bow and up its mast, the only other lights to be seen in the gloom.
Above me the loud deep calls of two Great Black-backed Gulls made me look upwards to spot these large seabirds, at the opposite scale in amongst the branches of the Holm Oak and Elm came the high-pitched calls of a Goldcrest. This, our tiniest bird, eventually glimpsed as it moved between the branches.
Along the cliff, as well as Elves and Reindeer (part of our Christmas Trail), great views of the three Fulmars. As they soared and swung towards the rock face their heads looked brilliant white against the dull sea and sky, every now and then they would float along at my eye level – perhaps they were watching me too?
On the water a few Guillemots, while 100 were again standing erect on the wide ledge, the black and white colouration alternating as they jiggled.
Along the coast, splashes of bright yellow from the prickly Gorse, and the orange berries of Stinking Iris adjacent to their tall thin leaves. While the wispy feathery fronds of Tamarisk blow in the wind.
As I went to collect an escaped white dumpy bag that had blown across the gully, I spotted the two-tone yellow flowers of Common Toadflax, the slightly pink flower head of Yarrow and some white and yellow Daisies.
Heading back the looping flight of a Great Spotted Woodpecker caught my eye, as it landed in the top of an Ash tree, its Christmas red trousers, and the black and white colours showed before it disappeared around the back.
On the decaying trunks along the woods Turkey Tail and Yellow Brain Fungus both showing well.