Thick fog greeted me this morning, barely able to see 30m through the murky grey cloud. However the sound of Wrens bursting forth their song was coming from a patch of flowering Privet hedge, while alongside a family of Great Tits flitted with some Blue Tits.
I was surprised by the sound of a Tawny Owl twitting in the woods, perhaps the dull morning encouraging the owl to think it was still dark!
Growing low to the ground the yellow of Ladies Bedstraw caught my eye, a group of delicate 4 petalled flowers on the stems. On a warm sunny day they have a delicate smell – but not today! Its close relative Hedge Bedstraw has white flowers and grows taller.
Amongst the Gorse the spider webs showing up superbly, the lines of silk covered in water droplets, as were the clumps of Lackey moth webs spotted on the Blackthorn bush.
As I approached the cliff top a Stonechat perched on the capper of a stone wall chatting noisily, close enough to see the dark back and the white strip around its neck, as it flew small patches of white were also visible on its wings. It was however the distinctive call – as two stones were being rubbed together – which was unique.
Sliding across the damp ground a selection of Snails, including the Garden Snail, Dark-banded Snail, and the tiny Glass Snail, while on the wall, a Wall Snail which has a flattened disc like shell, and the Trapdoor Snail, with has a disc-like door it can close when required.
Down below the Guillemots could be heard and smelt, but the sea was not visible for most of my wander along the clifftop path, on the edge a couple of Jackdaws cackled and a Great Black-backed Gull soared along.
Off to the woods where water was dripping off the leaves, as I searched for Great Wood-rush, amongst the long leaves and pale lilac flowers of Stinking Iris, the wide tall leaves of Hart’s Tongue Fern and the green stems and flowers of Wood Sage.
As I returned a Chaffinch was singing from an Elder – whose flowers are just coming out, while a Jay took flight just ahead of me.